SHAH ALAM, July 23 — Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has expressed support for the decision to cancel the Good Vibes Festival 2023 in Sepang due to a controversial stunt by British rock band The 1975.
Hannah said the band had indulged in improper behaviour and breached the conditions for organising the concert.
“I have contacted Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil and expressed support for his action, because there are terms and conditions for holding any programme. So, the organisers needed to abide by the conditions set.
“I hope youth groups in Malaysia know we support freedom of speech, freedom of expression but there are limits and laws to follow in Malaysia,” she told reporters at the closing ceremony of the Artalive Challenge Cup Amputee Football 2023 championship, earlier today.
Yesterday, Fahmi described the band’s action as insolent and ordered the immediate cancellation of the festival, which was supposed to end today.
The Communications and Digital Ministry, through the Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artists, decided to blacklist the British band from performing in Malaysia yesterday.
The band’s performance on Friday (July 21) was halted after its frontman Matty Healy held a bottle of liquor on stage and launched into an profanity-ridden tirade against Malaysia’s laws relating to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals (LGBT), and kissed the band’s bassist Ross MacDonald.
Earlier, Yeoh closed the four-team championship, which was organised by the Malaysian Amputee Football Association (Mafa), and watched the final between Malaysia and Indonesia, which the latter won 2 – 0.
She also announced an allocation of RM30,000 to MAFA to meet the cost of organising the championship, which began on Friday.
“I want amputees to know that there is life after amputation, and I hope the Youth and Sports Ministry can continue supporting efforts for them to remain healthy and have a platform to interact with their friends,” Yeoh added.
— Bernama
