Malaysia Approves Fergie

The government had prohibited Muslims from attending the Sept. 25 concert because it is one of the worldwide events promoted by Guinness celebrating its 250th anniversary in the brewing biz.

A cultural ministry representative said the ban was lifted last week and a letter was sent to the organizer, but did not offer any details. An Artiste World Entertainment representative said tickets went on sale to Muslims on Wednesday.

What was the fuss all about?

The Malaysian Government prohibits events organized by alcohol beverage companies, but originally decided to allow the Guinness-promoted Black Eyed Peas concert in hopes it would increase tourism. However, while green-lighting the Peas, it banned Muslims from attending.

But booze-making companies promoting shows is only one of many hassles in Malaysia when it comes to staging entertainment events. In the past other government-imposed rules have threatened to derail concerts, causing many performers to leave the country out of the picture when planning Pacific Rim stops.

Last year the government considered banning Avril Lavigne from performing after conservative Muslim groups protested, claiming her wardrobe was too immodest for public consumption. However, the show went on as planned.