The organiser of a Malaysian competition canceled after a kiss between two male members of The 1975 is searching for $2.7 million in damages from the British indie-rock band, its lawyer mentioned Friday.
Homosexuality is illegitimate in Muslim-majority Malaysia and legal guidelines criminalising sodomy are punishable by imprisonment, whereas LGBTQ folks within the nation additionally face common discrimination by authorities.
The Good Vibes music competition in Kuala Lumpur was cancelled after the band’s frontman Matt Healy launched a profanity-laden speech and kissed bassist Ross MacDonald throughout their July 21 efficiency.
“I can confirm that my firm issued a seven-day letter of claim to the UK band 1975 demanding for RM12.3 million ($2.68 million) in damages on behalf of Future Sound Asia (FSA),” David Dinesh Mathew, lawyer for occasion organiser FSA mentioned in an announcement.
David mentioned the declare filed on Monday towards the band was “essentially for breach of contract”.
Healy’s consultant signed a pre-show written assurance that the band would “adhere to all local guidelines and regulations” of their set, he mentioned.
The cancellation of the competition after their present “had repercussions on local artists and small businesses” who had relied on the competition for his or her livelihoods, David added.
The band have till Monday to reply to the letter.
Healy had informed Malaysian followers on stage that the band considered pulling out of the competition on Friday, saying: “I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with.”
Malaysian authorities ministers condemned the singer for breaching native customs and moved to ban the group from the nation.
Some within the LGBTQ group in Malaysia criticised Healy on social media, saying his actions had made their scenario much more difficult.
The band cancelled exhibits in Muslim-majority Indonesia and Taiwan after the uproar.
The on-stage protest was not a primary for Healy, who kissed a male fan at a 2019 live performance within the United Arab Emirates, which additionally has robust anti-LGBTQ legal guidelines.
© 2023 AFP