The 1975 British Bank
A day after Malaysia banned them from performing in the country due to an on-stage same-sex kiss, British band “The 1975” canceled its shows in Indonesia and Taiwan.
The indie-rock group said that they find it impossible to proceed with the scheduled shows due to the current circumstances. However, they did not elaborate further on the reasons.
The Malaysian government took action by halting the Good Vibes music festival in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday.
Malaysian authorities also barred The 1975 from performing after lead singer Matt Healy kissed the band’s bassist, Ross MacDonald, on stage.
During the performance, Healy also delivered a speech filled with profanity, in which he criticized the government’s stance against homosexuality.
Notably, homosexuality is considered a crime in Malaysia, a Muslim countries.
Therefore, various rights groups have warned of increasing intolerance against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals in the country.
Swatch files case against Malaysia for seizing LGBTQ watches
Meanwhile, Swatch, the Swiss watchmaker, has filed a lawsuit against the Malaysian government in response to the authorities’ confiscation of watches that celebrate LGBTQ pride.
The lawsuit, filed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, seeks compensation and the return of 172 watches. The Malaysian authorities seized watches under the pretext of containing “LGBT elements.”
In the legal filing on June 24, Swatch argues that the seizure of the watches, valued at 64,795 ringgit ($14,232), lacked any legal basis and included items that were unrelated to LGBTQ activism.
The company asserts that the confiscated watches pose no threat to public order, morality, or any violation of the law.
In May, Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs conducted raids at several shopping malls throughout the country. The officials confiscated the watches, some of which featured the rainbow colors associated with LGBTQ pride.
Swatch Group Chief Executive Nick Hayek questioned the rationale behind considering “peace and love” as harmful. He pondered whether authorities would attempt to confiscate rainbows in the sky if such a thing were possible.
Both the Ministry of Home Affairs and Swatch have yet to provide a response to requests for comment on the matter.
Malaysia, with a population that is approximately 60 percent Muslim, criminalizes same-sex sexual activity, imposing penalties such as caning and imprisonment.
