THEIR LOST, NO BEYONCE IN MALAYSIA AFTER ALL

Gig canceled after refusal to obey strict dress code.

Fans in Malaysia can give up hopes of seeing a fully-covered Beyonce perform at Kuala Lumpur's 9000-seat Putra Stadium.

Her scheduled Nov. 1 concert has been canceled following protests by local Muslim groups and her reported refusal to abide by the country's strict dress code for performers, reports Billboard Biz.


A number of Muslim groups, including the 10,000-strong National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students, had taken their pleas for cancellation to the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage -- which in 2005 introduced a compulsory dress code and other rules for performers.

Local promoter Pineapple Concerts released a statement Sept. 28 announcing the cancellation, but would not disclose the reason. A ministry official says Pineapple had not applied for a license to hold the concert. However, industry sources speculate Pineapple did not apply for a license until it was sure Beyonce would agree to follow the dress code and that the artist refused to do so.

The dress code says there must be no hugging or kissing audience members or fellow artists, no jumping or shouting, no throwing objects onstage or at the audience and no foul language.

Clothes cannot have obscene or drug-related images or messages, and female performers must show no skin from the tops of their chests to their knees.