Malaysia asks Avril Lavigne to postpone concert

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's government has told promoters of a concert by Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne to postpone the show because it could mar the country's independence day celebrations, an official said on Wednesday.

The decision came after the opposition Islamic party, Parti se-Islam Malaysia, objected to the August 29 concert in Kuala Lumpur, saying that mainly Muslim Malaysia should not ape Western values and cultures.

Although Malaysia is a moderate Muslim country with sizeable non-Muslim minorities, conservative groups often frown upon departures from strict interpretations of the Koran.

A culture ministry official said the show's promoters now have to find another slot for Lavigne.

"We did not reject the concert. We asked them to find another date as the original date is so close to the independence day," the official said. "That's the only reason."

A spokesman for the organizers said more than half of the tickets had already been sold. "As far as we are concerned, the show is still on," he said. Malaysia marks its 51st year of independence from Britain on August 31.

Last October, U.S. R&B star Beyonce Knowles axed her debut concert in Malaysia in protest against the country's ultra-strict dress code and over fears of a Muslim outcry over her show.

But a year ago, U.S. singer Gwen Stefani performed in Malaysia despite calls from Muslim students to cancel the concert because they deemed it too obscene.