KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Tambun-PH) will meet the Federal Territories mufti over the latter’s objections to Coldplay’s concert in Malaysia.
Anwar said the concert had the approval of the previous government, while several lobbyists from the pro-Palestine movement have expressed their support regarding the band’s performance.
“Coldplay is one of the bands supporting Palestine. The previous government also approved (such permits),” he said during Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
“I will discuss with the mufti on the matter, as there are lobbyists from the pro-Palestine movement that support (the concert), questioning the foreign minister and my office why such a band would be barred from performing here.”
Should the matter be raised because of other issues, Anwar said it will be discussed further.
Anwar was responding to Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Machang-PN), who asked about the government’s stance on the Coldplay concert scheduled for tomorrow, following a statement by the Federal Territories mufti.
FT mufti Datuk Luqman Abdullah had urged the government to call off tomorrow’s concert and that the public should not support it as it is against societal values.
There have been mixed reactions to the Grammy-winning band performing in Malaysia, mainly PAS leaders and a handful of preachers calling for the concert to be cancelled.
However, the band also garnered support from fans, seeing that the show was sold out in three hours when tickets went on sale earlier this year.
Anwar also welcomed the band to play in Malaysia when Coldplay announced its Kuala Lumpur date on May 9 this year.
Earlier this month, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin sent a message of love and peace during its concert in Tokyo, saying: “We don’t believe in oppression, or occupation, terrorism or genocide, nothing like that.”
The band also has a pro-Palestine history when it posted “Freedom for Palestine” on its Facebook page in 2011 as well as collaborating with Palestinian band Le Trio Joubran in 2017.
Coldplay is scheduled to perform in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow as part of its Music of the Spheres World Tour. – November 21, 2023