KUALA LUMPUR – A ‘kill switch’ will be available to organisers at Coldplay’s Nov 22 concert at the Bukit Jalil stadium in Kuala Lumpur, said Malaysian communications minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Mr Fahmi said the concert’s organiser Live Nation Malaysia had agreed to the switch, which would stop the performance by cutting the power supply to musical instruments, sound systems and other equipment, allowing authorities to pull the plug on a concert instantaneously.
He added, however, that he does not foresee any misconduct on the part of the British band, whose members have shown support for the Palestinian cause amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“The prime minister has also said the band you know, is very supportive of Palestine. So, we are upbeat about the concert today,” Mr Fahmi told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.
“If there’s one thing I would advise to all who are going please try to use public transport.”
In October, the Communications and Digital Ministry headed by Mr Fahmi told organisers of foreign artistes’ concerts to create a “kill switch” to avoid a repeat of the controversy created by another British band The 1975 at the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia axed a music festival after The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy kissed his male bandmate and launched a tirade against the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws.
Live Nation Malaysia on Nov 15 urged concert-goers to “be mindful of the local culture and sensitivities in Malaysia”.
British rock band Coldplay, which is scheduled to perform on Nov 22, is pro-Palestinian, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He told Parliament that he would discuss the matter with the Federal Territories Mufti, as there were some quarters opposed to the holding of the concert.
“This is a small problem, I have to say, even the previous government had approved (the concert).
“So, I will discuss with the Federal Territories Mufti on the current situation as there is some pro-Palestine lobbying movement that had given its views to the Foreign Minister as well as my office on why there are calls to oppose the Coldplay concert although they actually support the Palestinian struggle,” said Mr Anwar.
The Prime Minister was replying to a supplementary question from Mr Wan Ahmad Fayhsal (PN-Machang) who asked if concerts such as those by Coldplay should be allowed, considering the situation in Gaza.
On Nov 18, Federal Territories Mufti Datuk Luqman Abdullah called on the government to cancel the Coldplay concert.
Dr Luqman appealed to the public to not support the concert, adding that it would not benefit society.
“Because other issues were raised, we agreed to discuss the matter again,” said Mr Anwar.
Earlier this week, the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and the Majlis Ulama Ikatan Muslimin (Isma) religious council chairman Datuk Zamri Hashim also called for Coldplay’s concert to be cancelled.
Coldplay is scheduled to perform in Kuala Lumpur as part of its Music of the Spheres World Tour, and the band has been an outspoken supporter of Palestine over the past decade.
The band posted the song Freedom For Palestine on its official Facebook page in 2011. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
