Malaysian human rights campaigners welcomed the government's decision to shelve controversial plans to introduce strict rules to ensure that live music concerts conform with Islamic customs.

Among the proposals submitted to the government by the state-run Islamic Development Council were separate seating areas for males and females during concerts and a ban on the broadcast of concerts during Muslim prayer times.

S Arutchelvan, spokesman for the rights group Suaram, said the proposals marked a dangerous trend towards religious extremism, and if implemented would have infringed individual freedoms.

"Malaysia is a secular country. We must uphold the constitution," he said.

Not a happy end

Culture Minister Rais Yatim has said more studies were needed before any such rules could be imposed on the entertainment industry.

"I don't think we are in the right direction when we simply utilize the decision of an esoteric committee, chaired by, perhaps religious-imbued persons, on the general public," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper on Saturday.

"This would create a lot of conflicts, in my view, and it would not lead to a happy end."