Malaysian state to hold lullaby contest

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Islamic authorities in a Malaysian state believe they have found the secret of family love, women singing lullabies to their children and husbands.

The government of Kelantan, the only Malaysian state to be ruled by an Islamic fundamentalist party, will organize this month a lullaby contest to find the mother who can best induce sleep in her children and husband with songs, The Star newspaper said Thursday.

The contest aims to promote family togetherness according to Islam's tenets, especially in homes with two working parents, and to improve young wives' mothering skills, Kelantan state Women Committee chairman Abdul

Fatah Mahmud was quoted as saying in The Star newspaper.

"It shows that the family comes first in the lives of everyone here," Abdul Fatah said.

A total of 42 couples have entered the contest, which will begin preliminary rounds soon. A final round with 10 shortlisted couples will be held on Dec. 23, he said.

Abdul Fatah confirmed the report but was unable to speak further when contacted on his mobile phone by The Associated Press because he was in a meeting Thursday morning.

Kelantan, which is controlled by the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, imposes strict rules on women's dressing and other regulations such as separate check out counters for men and women at supermarkets.

This week, the municipal authorities of state capital Kota Baru renewed warnings to women workers against wearing revealing or tight-fitting clothing.

State Chief Minister Nik Aziz Nik Mat, also the party's spiritual leader, has said in the past that a woman's voice is a part of her body that should not be exposed, and disallowed female contestants from entering Quran recital competitions.

But in recent years, the party's stance has softened and the state recently reintroduced even secular concerts featuring female Malaysian pop stars. The shows, however, are open only to women.