Malaysia’s government yesterday halted a music festival in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, a day after the frontman of British pop rock band The 1975 kissed a male bandmate on stage and criticized the country’s anti-LGBT laws.
“There will be no compromise against any party that challenges, disparages and violates Malaysian laws,” Malaysian Minister of Communications and Digital Fahmi Fadzil said on Twitter after meeting with the organizers of the Good Vibes Festival, a three-day event set to run until today.
The 1975 has also been banned from performing in Malaysia, said a government committee that oversees filming and performances by foreigners.
Photo: AP
Homosexuality is a crime in Muslim-majority Malaysia. Rights groups have warned of growing intolerance against the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
In videos posted on social media on Friday night, Matty Healy was seen kissing bassist Ross MacDonald after criticizing the Malaysian government’s stance against homosexuality in a profanity-laden speech to the festival audience.
Healy said the band had considered pulling out of the show, but did not want to disappoint their fans in Malaysia.
“I made a mistake. When we were booking shows, I wasn’t looking into it,” he said. “I don’t see the fucking point ... of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with.”
Healy later cut short the set, telling the crowd: “All right, we gotta go. We just got banned from Kuala Lumpur, I’ll see you later.”
The band could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement, Good Vibes organizers said the band’s set was stopped due to “non-compliance with local performance guidelines.”
Fahmi said Malaysia was committed to supporting the development of creative industries and freedom of expression.
“However, never touch on the sensitivities of the community, especially those that are against the traditions and values of the local culture,” he said.
The incident comes before crucial regional elections that will pit Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s progressive coalition against a mostly conservative ethnic-Malay, Muslim alliance, which has accused Anwar’s government of not doing enough to protect the rights of Muslims in the multiracial country.
The premier has repeatedly this month said that his government would uphold principles of Islam, state media reported.
He has said his administration would not recognize LGBT rights.
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