ReutersThe 1975 in Londen in 2019
NOS News•today, 09:46•Edited today, 11:58
British indie pop band The 1975 was taken off stage at a festival in Malaysia last night. After the singer raged against the anti-LGBTI legislation in Malaysia, he kissed the bassist of the band full on the mouth.
The band headlined the three-day Good Vibes festival in Kuala Lumpur last night. The organization says it has ended the performance because the band did not comply with the rules for performing. Homosexuality is a criminal offense in Malaysia. It carries a maximum sentence of twenty years.
The Malaysian minister of communications initially called the behavior “very disrespectful”. The entire festival has now been discontinued. “We will not compromise with any party that challenges, criticizes or violates Malaysian laws,” he said after speaking with the organization. The 1975 is no longer allowed to perform in Malaysia.
Photos and videos of the kiss are circulating on social media:
The 1975 taken off stage because of this kiss
Prior to the kiss with the bassist, singer Matty Healy said that he would have preferred not to play in Malaysia because of the anti-LGBTI laws. “It was a mistake. When we booked the gigs I didn’t pay attention. I see the fucking I don’t mean to invite The 1975 to a country and then tell us who we can have sex with.”
In order not to disappoint the audience, he wanted to continue anyway.
Then followed a twenty-second kiss on the mouth, followed by their number I Like America & America Likes Me. Thirty minutes into the set, the band walked off stage. “We’ve just been banned from Kuala Lumpur, until next time,” Healy said.
Kiss in Dubai
It is not the first time that Healy has kissed a man on stage. In 2019, the frontman of The 1975 made headlines when he kissed a male fan during a performance in Dubai. Healy is an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights. “Of course I don’t want to put people in danger,” the singer said in an interview with The Sunday Times. “But I really want to be an ally for all the people who don’t have a voice,” he said in an interview with The Sunday Times.
Homosexuality is a crime in Malaysia. About 60 percent of the inhabitants are Muslim. Regional elections will be held next month. The main opponent of the ruling parties is a conservative alliance of Muslim parties. They blame the government for not doing enough to protect the rights of Muslims.
Not recognizing lhbti rights
Prime Minister Anwar has repeatedly said in recent weeks that he will stand up for the values of Islam. In that context, he mentioned, among other things, the non-recognition of LGBTI rights.
In May, the government confiscated watches from the Pride collection of the Swiss brand Swatch. With this series, Swatch supports the LGBTI community. Earlier this week it was announced that Swatch had sued the Malaysian government over the seizure, as the company says it has suffered reputational damage.
2023-07-22 07:46:03
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