After several postponements, Beyonce’s Kuala Lumpur concert has been finally cancelled. The country asserts that its Muslim rules will be disrespected by the pop singer’s skimpy stage outfits and raunchy stage antics.

It’s not the first time that the country figures in global headlines for some controversial stuff. Malaysia has had ‘sodomy trials involving former finance ministers, anti-capitalism tirades by prime ministers, murder investigations involving high-ranking officials. Malaysia really could have its own CSI crime drama.’

Malaysia really has far more serious things to worry about, foremost of which are the effects of the global recession on its economy, temporarily soothed by a 67 billion ringgit ($20 billion) stimulus fund, and the overwhelming corruption that is said to be eating up the country where crony capitalism has been rearing its ugly head.

‘Transparency International ranks Malaysia behind Jordan, Cape Verde and Macau in its Corruption Perceptions Index. It’s a reminder that 12 years after the Asian crisis, Southeast Asia’s third-biggest economy needs to be far more aggressive in cleaning up politics and business.’

‘Foreign investors view with trepidation both in Malaysia and neighboring Indonesia’ the growing trend of Islamic fundamentalism. This poses a risk to the economy because ‘investors stop considering Malaysia a model of moderate Muslim democracies.’ The stringent stipulations imposed on Beyonce only point to the fact that Malaysia may not necessarily be the moderate Muslim country that the world thought it to be.

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Via Bloomberg