The Coldplay performance in Malaysia on Wednesday will still take place despite objections from conservative Muslims. However, the band may encounter a potential “kill switch” that would halt the show if they offend cultural sensitivities.
After receiving criticism for a same-sex kiss that occurred during the 1975’s performance at a concert in Kuala Lumpur in July, deputy communications and digital minister Teo Nie Ching implemented a new requirement for concert organizers to have a “kill switch” that will shut off electricity in the event of any unwanted incidents during a performance.
The minister in charge of communications and digital technology, Fahmi Fadzilit, mentioned that the use of the switch has been discussed with the concert organizer for Coldplay’s performance in Kuala Lumpur. He expressed confidence that there would not be any issues. “The prime minister has also stated that the band is very supportive of Palestine. Therefore, we are optimistic about the concert today,” he stated.
Prime minister Anwar Ibrahim told the country’s parliament earlier this week: “Why should we stop a group that supports the Palestinian cause from performing?” He had been asked whether the concert was inappropriate during the conflict in Gaza.
During a performance in Japan, Chris Martin expressed his belief in spreading love and kindness to areas affected by oppression, occupation, terrorism, and genocide. He specifically mentioned Gaza, Israel, the West Bank, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine, Russia, Iran, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2011, Coldplay used their platform to promote the charity single Freedom for Palestine on their Facebook page. In 2019, they collaborated with Palestinian band Le Trio Joubran on the song Arabesque, which was featured on their album Everyday Life.
Some Muslims in Malaysia have objected to Coldplay’s concert because the band has shown support for the LGBTQ+ community. Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, the information chief for the Islamic party PAS, stated in parliament, “This is not just about their support for Palestine, but also the indulgent culture they promote in our community.” In a social media post in May, PAS urged for the concert to be cancelled, claiming that Coldplay promotes a culture of indulgence and deviance. They accompanied this statement with a picture of Martin holding a rainbow flag.
The police and Live Nation Malaysia have cautioned concert attendees against behaving in a provocative manner. Live Nation has requested that attendees be aware of and respectful towards local customs and sensitivities.
Conservative Muslim protesters and law enforcement clashed outside Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia last week during a Coldplay concert. A banner was displayed stating, “Reject, cancel, and disband Coldplay concerts.” Politicians in Indonesia also expressed opposition to the concert, including Anwar Abbas from the Indonesian Ulema Council who stated, “We are aware that Coldplay supports the LGBT+ community, but we must question if their behavior aligns with our constitution. Our country recognizes six religions, and none of them condone or tolerate LGBT+ practices.”
The kiss shared between Matty Healy and Ross MacDonald of the 1975 during their performance in Kuala Lumpur in July received backlash from both conservative Muslims and Malaysia’s LGBTQ+ community. As a result, the Good Vibes festival ended early and the festival organizers took legal action against the band.
Healy maintains his stance, stating at a concert in Texas in October that the kiss has always been a regular part of their stage performance: “Removing any element of our show to please the narrow-minded views of LGBTQ people held by the Malaysian authorities would be a passive endorsement of their politics. As many liberals often say, ‘Silence leads to violence, use your platform’, and that’s exactly what we did… If one truly believes that artists have a responsibility to uphold their liberal values by utilizing their large platforms, then they should be judged by the risks and difficulties they face for doing so, rather than the rewards they receive for conforming to popular opinion.”
Currently, Coldplay is on their Music of the Spheres tour, starting in March 2022, with the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 50% compared to their previous world tour. The tour has made $668 million, not including the current leg in East Asia. It will continue until 2024 with 37 shows in Europe and Oceania. Interestingly, there is a noticeable break in their European tour schedule during the weekend of the 2024 Glastonbury festival, giving fans hope for a fifth headlining performance at the festival.
Source: theguardian.com
