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By Farrah Hamid September 29, 2009 It’s been yet another busy month for the pseudo-conservative security council that influences Malaysia’s governing body. On October 25th, the council - more formally known as the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) - will no doubt cringe as world R&B star Beyonce performs for the first-time ever in the country, albeit with altered costumes that show a lot less skin. The pop star is of course not the first celebrity to take extra pains to cover up when heading to Kuala Lumpur. Earlier this month, Black Eyed Peas star Fergie took her gyrating down a notch too, trading her sexy outfits with jeans and a t-shirt in order to be allowed to perform to a Muslim audience. Originally, the Malaysian government was allowing only non-Muslims to attend the concert - this rule was eventually overturned. We’re back again to the same old story this week as well, as the Malaysian government has also banned “Bruno,” Sacha Baron Cohen’s follow-up to the not-so-family-friendly “Borat,” due to the fact that it contained “a lot of sex.” “Bruno” is one of five films banned this year. Time and time again, Malaysia gets blasted in the media for its censorships. There’s no doubt that the Fatwa council there is a bit trigger-happy sometimes, condemning everything from Gwen Stefani to yoga. At times, the Malaysian government seems confused - while they adhere to pressures from PAS, who claim that they, “are not against entertainment, as long as it is within the framework of our culture and our religion,” they sometimes allow these concerts to proceed, usually under the condition that they are for non-Muslims only. Although the efforts to maintain a cultural identity separate from Western influence seem solid, it still feels like one way or the other, Muslims in Malaysia are getting the short straw. Concerns are now rising about whether Malaysia’s government is taking things a bit too far, especially with the upcoming caning of a 32-year old Muslim woman for drinking beer. Although some reports say that the caning is meant to be more symbolic than to exert physical pain, caning is still caning, and questions remain about whether Malaysia’s conservative stance truly protects the sanctity of the country’s culture, or is on the path to Taliban-land. http://www.elanthemag.com/index.php/site/blog_detail/is_malaysias_boom_boom_pow_on_entertainment_a_danger_zone/