MUMBAI: Private television channels in Malaysia have been given one month time to voluntarily stop screening foreign advertisements and movies with excessive violence and sex elements.

Information Minister Datuk Paduka Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said that after the grace period, the Government would have no choice but to use the law to enforce the directive.

Barely-clothed Britney Spears, Beyonce and Pink et al have put Malaysia's private satellite operators in a fix.

Members of the Malayasian cabinet are irked by the shows and advertisements being aired by private satellite operators featuring artists wearing scantily clad costumes. The cabinet has threatened to withdraw licences of private satellite operators.

In Malaysia, the government owns two channels while there are four channels owned by three private stations. Satellite operator Astro offers more than 40 channels and two more private stations are planning to hit the air in the coming days