Avril Lavigne concert cancelled
By LOH FOON FONG


KUALA LUMPUR: The Avril Lavigne concert in Shah Alam on Aug 29 has been cancelled.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Shafie Apdal said that the concert falls during the nation's independence period and was not a suitable time to hold such a concert.

There are a lot of events on Aug 29 and the Ministry does not want the independence and the near Ramadan month to be filled with such pop and rock culture, he said.

"As the Minister of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage, we should be instilling good culture in the young but here we are allowing other parties to organise things," he said Wednesday after launching the IDeAS for enhancing Integrity book.

Moreover, the organisers were promoting the event even before they got approval from the relevant agencies, he said.

"All organisers, local and foreign, should adhere to the rules and regulations before promoting the concert and selling tickets to the public," he said, adding that Lavigne's organisers should have sought advice from the Kuala Lumpur City Council or the Ministry.

Asked if he knew why they had promoted the concert before it was approved, he said he did not know.

Asked if the Ministry's decision was in response to PAS Youth's call for cancellation, he said "no."