Last week, The 1975 protested against Malaysia's anti-LGBTQIA laws during the Good Vibes Festival; Matty Healy called out the country's government and kissed bassist Ross MacDonald onstage.
"I made a mistake. When we were booking shows, I wasn't looking into it," the frontman said. "I don't see the f**king point, right, I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with."
The 1975 cut their set short after bidding the audience farewell and noted that they very well might be banned after the onstage kiss.
Sure enough, Malaysian authorities were not pleased by Healy's protest and demonstration, they issued a statement that they will be tightening up on screenings regarding future foreign acts who want to hold shows in their country.
The Good Vibes Festival was cut short: "This decision complies with the immediate cancellation directive issue at 1:20 p.m., July 22, 2023, by the Ministry of Communications and Digital, which steadfastly opposes parties challenging, ridiculing, and violating Malaysian laws."
Fans, as well as the LGBTQIA community in Malaysia, were furious with Healy and The 1975 for their setting them back, making their situation in an already hostile country worse.
'Matty Healy Ruins Everything'
According to reports, a Twitter user took to social media to express their disdain and frustration regarding the situation.
"If anything, what Matt Healy and The 1975 have done is discount and disrupted YEARS of work by local activists who have been pushing for change and understanding AND endangering our vulnerable minority communities," user Joe Lee wrote.
Elsewhere in their threat, they wrote, "Every country has its laws. Foreigners don't get to come in and shit on us and tell us how to do things, especially when they only make it worse for us."
"Matty Healy is so problematic," a netizen wrote.
"Matty Healy ruins everything!"
"The brunt of his performative activism borne by the local community and this is just the beginning."
Other fans have weighed in on the situation as well, including fans from other Asian countries, namely Indonesia and Taiwan.
The 1975 Scrapped From We The Fest 2023
According to reports, The 1975 was supposed to take part in We The Fest 2023, which will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia and Taipei, Taiwan, but that too was canceled.
"The 1975 regret to announce that their forthcoming shows in Jakarta and Taipei will no longer be going ahead as planned."
Indonesian and Taiwanese fans took to social media to express their frustration and anger.
"What angers me the most is the fact he is not even part of the community itself. He's just a basic, cishet, White man. Imagine how privileged that is."
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