US hip-hop band the Black Eyed Peas played in front of a multi-religious audience in Malaysia this weekend after a ban on Muslims was lifted, although frontwoman Fergie was forced to cover up – but not to the extent of donning a ghastly burqa.
Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie
The event, sponsored by the Guinness brewery, was initally restricted to non-Muslims, barring the 60 percent of Malaysia’s population who are Muslim Malays.
But after an outcry the government dropped the ban and said anyone aged over 18 could attend, although alcohol sales at the concert were restricted to areas off-limits to Muslims.
According to this report, the Grammy award-winning band’s iconic singer Will.i.am welcomed the move which allowed all Malaysians to attend their third concert in the country.
But the band’s glamorous frontwoman Fergie said that like other international stars who have come to perform in conservative Malaysia, she was required to leave her sexy outfits in the closet.
I have had to change my costume for tonight’s show but I mean the woman’s silhouette is still there, whether it’s clothes or not, whether you see skin or you don’t, you still know the woman’s body.
She went on stage in a T-shirt and jeans, an outfit far more modest than that worn by many in the crowd of 5,000 who mostly adopted the event’s dress code of “Black Party Chic”.
The enthusiastic crowd cheered and sang along through a performance of the band’s big hits including “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling”.
The controversy over the Black Eyed Peas is the latest in a series of incidents that have raised fears that Islamic law is on the rise in Malaysia, threatening its secular status.
Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, a 32-year-old part-time model, was sentenced to six strokes of the cane by an Islamic court in July for drinking beer, but the government said the punishment was “too harsh” and put it on hold.
Performances by foreign bands frequently come under fire in Malaysia, particularly from the conservative Islamic party PAS which has called for an October 25 concert by US singer Beyonce to be banned, two years after her debut here was shelved over fears of demonstrations.
It also held protests against Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne’s concert last year after failing to have it banned, saying her performance would weaken the younger generation “morally and mentally”.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
September 28th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Just another example of religious nuts not having the balls yet to push their stupid opinions down other people's throats. Different sets of rules for different groups of people and calling the country secular? This requires constant mental contortion-ism, I think, just like that Saudi island I read about recently, where science apparently isn't yoked to Islam and women are allowed to mingle with men, just because these hypocrites want to catch up with the rest of world scientifically; but we can't have this on the main-land, of course!!
September 29th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Fergie, Sanitized?
Lol.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
I'm amazed that this should happen in Malaysia. When I was there (okay, it was four years ago, but…) I was struck by the way that young Muslim women managed to combine Islamic dress (say a headscarf) with skin-tight jeans, crop-tops, micro-skirts etc. So Fergie's normal clothing would be quite modest by these standards. Or have things changed over the last few years. Anyone out there who can comment?
September 30th, 2009 at 7:27 am
I was initially quite elated at the thought of Fergie being forced to wear a burqah (and, possibly, to keep her big gob shut) when I realized that this was another Fergie whom I hadn't come across before! (I hope to God there aren't any more of them!!) Does anyone know how "toe-sucking" would be regarded in Malaysia?
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Well, they're not missing out on much. The Black Eyed Peas are a bit shit anyway.