Fahmi denies ordering PAS to be blamed for axing of music fest after The 1975 fiasco

Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil has slammed those behind a poster accusing him of instructing government-friendly parties to blame PAS for the cancellation of the Good Vibes Festival 2023 on Friday. 

In a social media post last night, he said the communications and digital ministry had instructed for reports to be lodged with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the police.

"On a day when we are mourning the loss of a close and esteemed colleague, there are still some who are not afraid to commit slander.

"How is it possible for those responsible for this poster not to have any fear of the law or the hereafter, by making slanderous statements like this? May Allah protect us from slander and those behind them," he said in the post.

The poster, which went viral on social media, claimed that Fahmi had given instructions for PAS to be highlighted as an extremist party in a bid to shift the blame from him after approving the permit for UK pop rock band, The 1975, to perform in Malaysia.
 
The 1975's performance at the festival was stopped after its vocalist Matty Healy behaved in what was described as a vulgar and disrespectful manner before fans.

Healy was accused of holding a bottle of alcohol while on stage and making insulting remarks against Malaysia's LGBT laws.

Fahmi said the permit application for The 1975’s performance was initially rejected by the Committee on Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (JK-Puspal) on June 23 due to their bad record. 

However, he said on July 16, the organisers appealed the decision and gave written assurance, including one from the band manager, that they would take full responsibility for the group's performance.

JK-Puspal allowed the appeal based on this guarantee, he added. 

Fahmi said he had taken immediate action by condemning the actions of the group on Twitter and by calling for the organisers to provide an explanation at 10am the next day, after which they admitted their guilt and took full responsibility.

He said the instructions to cancel the festival, which was to run for two more days, were issued at about 1pm on Saturday, about 14 hours after the incident.