The 1975, a British indie-rock band, has cancelled their concert in Indonesia after their frontman made a same-sex kiss and an anti-LGBTQ comment, resulting in the cancellation of a festival in Malaysia. Although Indonesia has less strict LGBTQ laws compared to its neighboring countries, such as Malaysia where homosexuality is considered a crime, the Muslim-majority country has seen several event cancellations due to opposition.
The Malaysian authorities cancelled the Good Vibes music festival in Kuala Lumpur after the band’s lead singer, Matty Healy, engaged in a profanity-laden speech and a kiss with the bassist during their set on Friday. Following the cancellation, The 1975 announced their decision to cancel their performance at the We The Fest event in Jakarta, Indonesia, as well as a show in Taiwan, a country known for its thriving LGBTQ community.
The band issued a statement on the We The Fest Instagram page, saying, “The 1975 regret to announce that their forthcoming shows in Jakarta and Taipei will no longer be going ahead as planned. The band never take the decision to cancel a show lightly and had been eagerly looking forward to playing for fans in Jakarta and Taipei but unfortunately, due to current circumstances, it is impossible to proceed with the scheduled shows.”
As of now, there has been no comment from the Indonesian government or festival organizers regarding the cancellation. The band’s next concert is scheduled to take place at the Lollapalooza festival in the United States in early August.
This is not the first time that Matty Healy has used his on-stage platform for a protest. In 2019, he kissed a male fan during a concert in the United Arab Emirates, a country with strict anti-LGBTQ laws. While Indonesia’s national laws do not criminalize homosexuality, there have been attempts by conservative politicians and groups to do so, and gay couples often face discrimination in the country.
The Malaysian Communications and Digital Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, condemned the singer and ordered the festival’s cancellation, stating in a tweet, “Never touch the sensitivities of the community, especially those that are against the manners and values of the local culture.”
The cancellation of the festival in Malaysia and subsequent concert cancellations highlight the ongoing tensions surrounding LGBTQ rights in Southeast Asia and the challenges faced by artists who strive to advocate for equality.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
