Asia in 3 minutes: ‘Despacito’ loses to prudes in Malaysia, ‘Lipstick Under My Burka’ wins in India
Steamy lyrics from Puerto Rican artists are too much for the public airwaves; Singapore dissolves marriage after gender switch; ‘Lipstick’ finally gets past Indian censors
Malaysia bans world’s most popular song as it’s ‘not suitable’ for Islam
Malaysia has stopped playing the sexually charged song Despacito on public radio, a senior minister said after critics labelled it un-Islamic. Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak said his ministry received numerous complaints about the steamy lyrics of the song that has won international popularity. Ruling party official Atriza Umar told The Star newspaper: “I regret that these problematic songs are not censored by the ministries. I urge the authorities to ban this song and other songs that contain sexy and violent lyrics which are not suitable in accordance with Islam.”
What next? The Spanish-language song – its title means “slowly” – was released by Puerto Rican artists Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee in January and a remix features Justin Bieber. In English, the lyrics include the lines: “I want to breathe on your neck slowly ... Let me tell you things in your ears” and “I want to undress you with kisses slowly ... And make your whole body a manuscript”. Despacito is the most streamed track ever, with more than 4.6 billion plays across all platforms.
‘Jet-set monk’ charged with raping minor after returning to Thailand
A Thai court has charged a disgraced former monk with the rape of an underage girl, fraud and money laundering. Wiraphon Sukphon, 37, was arrested on arrival at Bangkok’s main airport from the US where he established an unofficial Buddhist teaching centre after fleeing Thailand in 2013. He faces five charges, including raping a minor under 15 years old, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years. He did not apply for bail.
What next? Wiraphon made headlines in 2013 when video emerged of him with two other monks on a private jet wearing sunglasses and carrying Louis Vuitton bags, earning him the tabloid moniker the ‘jet-set monk’. A subsequent investigation led to authorities seizing US$770,000 of his assets, including Porsche and Mercedes-Benz cars, and multiple bank accounts. He fathered a child with the girl he is accused of raping. The scandal-mired cleric went by the name Luang Pu Nen Kham and claimed he was the reincarnation of a famous monk who performed miracles. His temple in the rural town of Buriram disrobed him after the allegations surfaced and he fled the kingdom.
Singapore dissolves marriage after husband’s sex-change operation
Singapore has voided the marriage of a couple after the husband had a sex change, making their partnership a same-sex union, breaking the city state’s laws. The couple married in 2015 but the husband had the sex change operation and updated his national ID card to say “female”, The Straits Times reported. When they applied for a scheme to help married couples buy their first home, they had to tell the authorities. The marriage was then voided several months later, the paper said.
