A Coldplay concert in Kuala Lumpur tonight could be cut short by the Malaysian government’s new ‘kill switch’ for live music shows, Malaysian communications minister Fahmi Fadzil has warned.
Fadzil told reporters that he did not foresee any issues with the concert that would require its use, but confirmed that promoter Live Nation had agreed to put in place a system via which government reps can cut power to the stage if rules governing performances in the country are broken.
There had already been some controversy surrounding the Coldplay gig, with calls for it to be cancelled by pro-Palestinian groups. Responding to those protests, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that he would review the previous government’s approval of the concert, ultimately allowing it to go ahead.
“The Prime Minister has … said the band is very supportive of Palestine”, Fadzil added, explaining that particular decision, according to The Straits Times. “So, we are upbeat about the concert today”.
The requirement for the Malaysian government to be able to pull shows by foreign artists already in progress was announced last month. It follows The 1975's performance at the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur back in July.
During the band’s headline set, frontman Matty Healey heavily criticised Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws. His on-stage comments violated those rules governing performances in the country and resulted in the band's set being cut short, and the following days of the festival being cancelled altogether.
However, seemingly the government felt that the end of the band’s performance did not come quickly enough, hence the demand for its own kill switch at future concerts.
Earlier this month, there were protests at another Coldplay show in Indonesia, over claims that the band’s presence in the country was damaging to its “faith and morals” because of the “LGBT propaganda” attendees would be exposed to.
