KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 (News Agencies) - Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has hit out at rap music and "immoral" foreign culture, saying it is encouraging violent crime in Malaysia.
"There is even a rap singer who talks about strangling his girlfriend, locking her up in the car boot and doing unacceptable things to his own mother," Monday's newspapers and Bernama news agency quoted him as telling a youth rally on Sunday.
"That explains why many Malaysians commit rapes, murders and other crimes once unimaginable by people in the olden days. This is due to exposure to foreign cultures," Mahathir said.
The premier urged young Malaysians to erect "walls of good morality" against foreign "filth."
But he said a ban would be difficult to enforce and counterproductive, in that it would encourage the curious to get hold of banned music.
Mahathir also called for a study to be conducted into whether violent "Bollywood" films encourage crime.
His comments follow calls from the Mufti Council to reduce the number of Indian movies on local television.
The Islamic organization said last week the films could have negative influences on the country's majority Muslim population.
Mahathir said a study would help the government decide whether a partial or total ban on Bollywood movies is necessary.
Western, Indian and Chinese movies are widely shown on satellite television. Sex and swearing is cut out but violent scenes often get past the official censors.
