Matty Healy spoke out against Malaysia's anti-gay laws in a profanity-laden speech before kissing his bandmate on stage. 5 kissed a bandmate after a tirade against the country's anti-LGBT laws.
The British band cut short their Friday performance at the Good Vibes music festival shortly after lead singer Matty Healy took aim at Malaysia's anti-gay laws in a profanity-laden speech before kissing bassist Ross McDonald on stage.
Homosexuality is illegal in Malaysia, and laws that criminalize sodomy are punishable by jail time. LGBT people in the country also regularly face discrimination from the authorities.
Healy told fans that the band considered pulling out of the event, stating, “I don't see the point of inviting The 1975 to the country and then telling us who we can have sex with.”
He later abruptly ended the set, saying, “Okay, we've got to go. We have just been banned from entering Kuala Lumpur.”
“Very rude act”
The protest on stage was not the first for Healy to kiss a male fan at a 2019 concert in the United Arab Emirates, which also has tough anti-LGBT laws.
On Saturday morning, Malaysian Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil, promising to take swift action, released a news report about the kiss and called it a “very rude act.”
Later after the meeting with the organizers, he ordered the “immediate cancellation” of the three-day festival. .
“Never touch the sentiments of society, especially those that are contrary to the mores and values of local culture,” he tweeted.
In a statement, the festival confirmed that the cancellation was at the direction of the Ministry of Communications “following controversial behavior and remarks made by British artist Matty Healey.”
making fun of or breaking the laws of Malaysia,” the statement added.
The Good Vibes festival was scheduled to take place over the weekend, with US band The Strokes scheduled to headline on Sunday.
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