KUALA LUMPUR, July 23: Former Bersatu Information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan could not have been thinking deep enough when he called for Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil to resign over the fiasco created by foreign pop-rock band, The 1975, during a recent live show in Sepang.
Expressing this in a statement issued here today, Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching said the The 1975 band had clearly breached their agreement with the organisers of the show as well as the country’s rules.
If that is the reason why the minister has to resign, is Wan Saiful going to next call the Transport Minister to resign if people broke traffic rules and speed limits?, Teo asked in the statement issued in response to a posting by Wan Saiful in Facebook calling for the immediate resignation of Fahmi Fadzil.
“Or should the Home Minister also resign when members of the public are caught stealing or suspected of taking bribes and charged in the courts like in the case of Wan Saiful himself,” Nie Ching further asked.
Wan Saiful recently failed to get the Sessions Court quash two charges against him related to corruption amounting to RM6.9 million involving a Jana Wibawa project. He is set to go through a trial early next year.
On Saturday, UK based The 1975 band was blacklisted from performing in Malaysia by the Committee for Foreign Film Shooting and Foreign Artist Performances (JK-PUSPAL), which is under the Ministry of Communications and Digital.
It said the behaviour of the foreign artist group was highly regrettable and was in violation of Malaysia’s laws.
During the Friday night show, singer Matty Healy used profanities as he attacked the country’s anti-LGBT laws and went on to kiss bass player Ross MacDonald on stage.
A short while later, he announced that the show had been banned and he walked out of the stage with his band members.
On Saturday following a meeting with the show organisers, Fahmi Fadzil called for the immediate cancellation of the band’s performances for the remaining festival that was supposed to take place on Saturday as well as Sunday, July 23. He had said the Malaysian government would not tolerate any violation of the country’s laws.
–WE