Support for Avril concert

PETALING JAYA: Radio stations, the Perak Mentri Besar and pop rocker Amy Search have joined in lashing out at PAS Youth for calling for a ban on Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne’s concert on Aug 29.
Engku Emran Engku Zainal Abidin, the vice-president of the association of local radio stations Commercial Radio Malaysia (CRM), said PAS Youth should see the concert as an opportunity to reach out to youths and work with the Government.
“PAS Youth is apparently all about sending out positive messages and I understand their (PAS) role and concerns but they should see this as a path to reach out to the youths,” he told The Star.
“Banning the concert will not make things better or address the root of social ills.
“The young people will not listen to us but to their idol, someone who is world famous.
“People like Avril have a better chance to address social issues especially since she is of similar age to the crowd,” he said.
Amy Search said people kept looking at the negative side of rock bands when “we must remember there are positive sides to it too”.
“Her (Avril) music and video clips do not suggest negativity,” he said, adding that Avril came across as an easygoing girl.
“All religions preach good values. It is entirely up to us to take the good and leave the bad. Feelings and judgments are within our own control,” he added.
“You cannot expect us to wear a tie and suit to perform,” he said, adding that members of rock bands also have families and children.
On Saturday, Federal Territory PAS Youth chief Kamaruzaman Mohamed called for Avril’s concert to be banned on the grounds that “rock and punk are not suitable for the young generation, especially so during Merdeka month.”
In Ipoh, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said he had no qualms about Avril performing so long as she observed the acceptable norms in terms of dressing and type of songs.
“I have no objection so long as she observes the Eastern culture,” he said after the weekly exco meeting.
On whether the protest by PAS Youth was an attempt to push for the PAS agenda, Nizar said: “If they have grounds that the artistes are against the acceptable Eastern norm, they can voice it out,” he said.
Engku Emran added that PAS Youth should see more of Avril’s talent and discipline that got her to where she is now.
“It boils down to the saying 'do not judge a book by its cover.'
“Even foreign organisations acknowledge her as a good ambassador for various charitable causes,” he said, referring to Amnesty International, the US Campaign for Burma, the Make A Wish Foundation, YouthAIDS and War Child.