PUM requests cancelling Coldplay concert in Malaysia

The Muslim Scholars Association of Malaysia (PUM) has made a request to cancel the upcoming Coldplay concert in Malaysia, and said it condemns the organisation of the concert. In a statement to A+M, it said that “the organisation of this hedonistic program clearly neglects Muslims and Malaysians because it is far from local norms and morals”.

It added that the government has a legal and moral responsibility to “curb symptoms that can destroy local moral and cultural values”, and that entertainment in Islam has its boundaries that need to be respected.

“The organisation of the Coldplay Concert is seen to have crossed the borderline of Islam and is thus contrary to Islamic law,” it said, adding that the concert promotes moral depravity of Malaysians, and that the Coldplay group is believed to promote LGBT which is clearly in conflict with Islamic law. It added that the concert should be cancelled as it is being held at a time when the Palestinian people were being persecuted.

Meanwhile, according to an Instagram post, Live Nation the organisers of the concert, also said that banners carrying political and pride content are not allowed to be brought into the concert venue. “In creating a memorable atmosphere for all concertgoers, please be mindful of the local culture and sensitivities in Malaysia and avoid displaying props or items that may cause discomfort to others,” the post read.

Earlier this year, British band The 1975 caused immense commotion which led to the cancellation of of the highly anticipated Good Vibes festival (GVF) when its lead singer, Matty Healy, went on an expletive-laden rant against Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ laws, which culminated in a prolonged kiss between him and his bandmate, Ross Macdonald.

“I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with,” he lamented, stating that his rant in itself was unfair to the audience as they are not representative of the Malaysian government. “You are young people, and I’m sure a lot of you are gay and progressive,” he said, addressing the audience.

As a result, Malaysia’s Communications and Digital minister, Fahmi Fadzil made the decision to cancel the whole festival, a decision which had a reverberating impact on multiple stakeholders who were involved in the organisation of the festival such as vendors, performers and more.

Don't miss: How The 1975's antics have 'threatened the stability' of Malaysia's live entertainment scene

Meanwhile, Malaysia's Communications and Digital Ministry (KKD) has also reportedly told organisers of concerts with foreign artists to create a "Kill Switch" to avoid a repetition of the incident by The 1975 at the Good Vibes Festival 2023 (GVF) earlier this year. The kill switch will stop a concert by cutting its power supply, said Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching during a question-and-answer session at Dewan Rakyat, according to Malay Mail. She also reportedly explained that the Royal Malaysia Police has always assisted the ministry in doing background checks of foreign artists to prevent them from promoting negative sentiments in Malaysia.

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