Malaysian government to review international artist approval procedure following The 1975 controversy

The Central Committee for Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (Puspal) in Malaysia is set to review its international artist approval procedure following the recent controversy surrounding The 1975.

Last Friday (July 21), during their headlining slot on the first day of Good Vibes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy heavily criticised the Malaysian government for their anti-LGBTQ+ laws, smashing a festival-owned drone, drinking and kissing his bandmate Ross MacDonald in the process.

“I made a mistake. When we were booking shows, I wasn’t looking into it. I don’t see the fucking point, right, I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with,” said Healy onstage prior to the kiss.

He continued: “I am sorry if that offends you and you’re religious and it’s part of your fucking government, but your government are a bunch of fucking retards and I don’t care anymore. If you push, I am going to push back. I am not in the fucking mood, I’m not in the fucking mood.”

Shortly after, just seven songs into their set, The 1975 announced that they had been banned from the country and had to leave, cutting the festival set short. The following day (July 22), the country’s communications minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that he had ordered the rest of the festival cancelled.

Now, Fahmi Fadzil has announced that he has called for Puspal to review the country’s foreign performer approval procedure, urging stricter measures, per a report from the Malay Mail: “I have asked Communications and Digital Ministry secretary-general Datuk Muhammad Fauzi Md Isa and the Puspal committee chairman to re-examine all the existing processes regarding Puspal, including the artist screening issue.

“Also requested by the home minister as well as the assurance given by the organisers about the possible behaviour of artists,” he said, adding: “We will also be holding a town hall session with concert organisers and taken into account all their views, including on the latest incident, to make improvements.”

Fadzil also revealed in a statement to press, as reported by Malay Mail, that he has been in contact with Good Vibes co-organiser MyCreative Ventures in regards to artist payments. “I have been in contact with the Good Vibes Festival vendors and local acts. I understand that the international acts have received their payment mostly but the local acts have not received their payment,” he said.

Following The 1975’s actions at Good Vibes, the Malaysian LGBTQ+ community have condemned Healy, suggesting Healy’s actions would make life for the LGBTQ+ community in the country worse.

“If anything, what Matt Healy and The 1975 have done is discount and disrupted YEARS of work by local activists who have been pushing for change and understanding AND endangering our vulnerable minority communities,” Joe Lee wrote in a viral Twitter thread.

He went on: “Every country has its laws. Foreigners don’t get to come in and shit on us and tell us how to do things, especially when they only make it worse for us. The real victims of this situation are 1. The Malaysian LGBTQ+ community, who are ow left to deal with the aftermath. 2. The Malaysia live concert industry which is struggling to bounce back post pandemic.”

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