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Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Band left Malaysia hours before police received reports, says deputy IGP


FMT:

Band left Malaysia hours before police received reports, says deputy IGP


Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said members of The 1975 departed at 5.30am but police were only informed at 2pm.



British band The 1975 stirred controversy over the weekend after its frontman spoke out against Malaysia’s laws on the LGBT community and kissed a male bandmate while performing. (Facebook pic)


KUALA LUMPUR: British band The 1975 left the country hours before the police received reports against them on Sunday, deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said.

Ayob said the band members left at 5.30am, about six hours after the controversial incident at the Good Vibes Festival, but the police only received reports against them at 2pm.

“We could not take action (against the band) as they had already left earlier that morning,” he said at a press conference here today.

Ayob said 13 statements have been recorded from various parties, including the event’s organiser.


Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.


He urged the central committee for applications for filming and performances by foreign artistes (Puspal) to exercise greater caution when allowing foreign artistes into the country.

“If there are bands or foreign artistes who have drawn controversy in the past, and we feel that they are not in line with our culture, there’s no need to invite them,” he said.

Yesterday, former home minister Hamzah Zainudin questioned why the authorities did not arrest the members of The 1975 when it could detain PAS leader Sanusi Nor at 3am over a “minor offence”.

Sanusi was later slapped with two charges of making seditious statements against royalty and was released on bail.

On Saturday, The 1975’s lead singer, Matt Healy, spoke out against Malaysia’s laws on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) community and kissed his male bandmate while performing.

The remaining two days of the festival were later cancelled, and the band has been blacklisted from performing in Malaysia.

Ayob also rubbished Sanusi’s claim that a plot had been devised six months ago to arrest him and damage his credibility.

He said the police only launched an investigation into Sanusi’s remarks at a ceramah after reports were lodged on July 12. He was arrested on July 18.

“There is no such issue of the police conducting an investigation six months before that, nor was there any conspiracy,” he said.


1 comment:

  1. "Yesterday, former home minister Hamzah Zainudin questioned why the authorities did not arrest the members of The 1975 when it could detain PAS leader Sanusi Nor at 3am over a “minor offence”.

    Comment: these PAS lebais are showing their disdain for royalty. Offending and insulting the Sultan is now, in the eyes of PAS, a minor offence.

    It would be interesting to see how the Sultan would perceive the characterization of the insult towards him by Sanusi as a minor offence.

    To me, an ultimate clash between ayotallah Hadi's people and royalty is just a matter of time. PAS feels invincible at the moment and royalty seems impotent.

    We wait with bated breath for the outcome of the investigation involving Sanusi.

    ReplyDelete