An upcoming concert featuring rapper Pitbull has prompted protests in the notoriously conservative country of Malaysia. The hip-hop star is due to perform at a dance music festival in the country on Saturday, May 15, but Pitbull's inclusion on the bill has sparked outrage amongst Islamic groups there - who have cited his performance style and lyrics as a cause for concern.
Around 300 Muslim protesters gathered in the capital city, Kuala Lumpur, on Friday, may 14 to express their outrage at Pitbull's planned performance, as well as a new government ruling which will allow a sports gambling company to be set up in Malaysia.
Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) official Kamaruzaman Mohamad, says, "It's bad enough that he is named after a dog, but if you watch his video clip on YouTube, his performance and lyrics are against Malaysian cultural norms."
The protests were broken up by police, but no arrests were made, according to Reuters. Strict Islamic groups in Malaysia frequently oppose pop concerts in the country - Beyonce Knowles scrapped a planned gig in Kuala Lumpur last year after Muslim leaders slammed her sexy show, while other stars, including the Black Eyed Peas' Stacy Ferguson have been forced to cover up and tone down their raunchy routines while performing in Malaysia.