Banned Concerts in Malaysia

Banned Concerts in Malaysia have become a trend after several mega superstars have either been banned from performing in Malaysia or simply cancelling their concerts here due to many restrictions from various authorities.

Malaysia had made international news repeatedly for banning concert shows due to the strict rules imposed on performers, especially females and rock bands.

The government pointed the band’s mascot Vic Rattlehead as inappropriate and told the members that they would be arrested if they performed. Megadeth’s album ‘The World Needs a Hero’ was also removed from record store shelves after its government branded their imagery unsuitably.

Their label, Sanctuary Records, was also banned from shipping album copies into Malaysia.

This included the nearly 10,000-strong National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students, urging the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage to stop the concert from taking place. Eventually, Beyonce proceeded to Jakarta to have her show there instead. 

A memorandum cited the fact that Majlis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) had condemned Inul, specifically for her trademark “goyang ngebor” (drill gyration) dance, as lewd, which led to the cancellations of her shows in Malaysia.

Finally, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) ‘s initial consent to the Bukit Jalil concert was revoked. Inul performed at the Indonesian ambassador’s residence in KL on 18 Aug 2008 as part of celebrations for the archipelago republic’s 63rd year of independence.

Strangely, Inul had performed in Malaysia twice before: in May 2005 and again in May 2007.

Mohsen Namjoo was banned from performing in KL.

But Malaysian Culture Minister Rais Yatim announced that the concert had been cancelled because it did not mesh with its religion and culture. Thousands of Iranians who planned to attend the Namjoo Concert and bought the tickets have been extremely upset and confused. Apparently, some of them spent a few thousand ringgits flying over from Iran.

A government committee, including police and Islamic policy officials, decided to forbid Badu’s show because the body art was “an insult to Islam and a severe offence”.

Although Ke$ha had tried to fit the rules set by the authorities, they still warned her that she would be imprisoned if she disobeyed the rules.

Kreator, who performed once in 2005 in Malaysia, was already here and all set for the concert when hours before the show, they were informed by the local promoter that the concert was cancelled “for reasons beyond our control”.

The organisers also claimed they were forced to cancel the show “due to interference by a religious enforcement department”, despite having all the necessary documents already prepared.

The organisers alleged that they were first given a verbal warning over the phone by a DBKL official at 4pm after a public complaint was made over what was allegedly described as a “Black Metal Show”. 

It is reported that crotch-grabbing is considered impure in Islam. Michael Jackson performed a 2-day concert at Stadium Merdeka in KL to sell-out shows. The second concert date was an extension show due to overwhelming requests. 

Linkin Park, upon agreeing, then received the government’s permission to perform in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Still, the hard rock band was not allowed to scream, jump around or wear shorts onstage. 

The Pan- Malaysian Islamic Party’s youth wing leader, Ahmad Sabki Yusof, wrote a letter to the government saying she promoted un-Islamic principles. “Everyone knows Mariah Carey presents herself in a sexy, unacceptable and almost vulgar manner,” and “We don’t want immoral values for our children, whether Muslim or not,” he said.

The world-class superstar performed again for Mariah Carey Live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2014. 

Nothing materialised, and the Scorpions concert in Malaysia went ahead on Sept 13, 2004, at a 50,000-seat stadium. The Scorpions have performed many times in Malaysia, and their first rock concert was back in 1984.

Pussycat Dolls that performed in Malaysia

Talent may also not hug or kiss, and their clothes must not carry obscene or drug-related images or messages. Eventually, Gwen Stefani agreed not to wear revealing costumes for her concert in Malaysia, which was part of Stefani’s Sweet Escape World Tour. 

Her onstage moves were considered too provocative for Malaysia’s teenage population. Eventually, the concert went on as scheduled.

The party said her revealing outfits and dance moves featured in the show insulted Asian values and outraged local cultural mores. Kamaruzaman Mohammad, a leader of the youth wing of the PAS, which called for a boycott of US goods over Washington’s support for Israel’s Gaza invasion, said that attending the California-based Rihanna’s concert was a form of support for Israel. Rihanna agreed to shun skimpy clothes for her Malaysia concert. 

Eventually, the government agreed to allow the Black Eyed Peas to perform in Malaysia. 

The MLTR concert went ahead as planned as this was not the first time the Danish artist has performed in Malaysia.

The Wonder Girls from Korea that performed in Malaysia

Members of an Islamic party claimed that the gay singer promotes hedonism. Shahril Azman Abdul Halim Al-Hafiz, an official with the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), said the concert at the Genting Highlands resort on Nov 22, 2011 would corrupt young Muslims because of John’s homosexuality.

It’s not good. In Islam homosexuality is forbidden. What he is doing is hedonism. Hedonism is not good in Islam – Shahril was the chairman of the PAS youth wing of eastern Pahang state of peninsular Malaysia.

If you know of any other concerts or live shows that have been either cancelled or banned in Malaysia, please do let me know in the comment form below, as I would like to keep this list complete and up to date.

But again, many other factions may think otherwise, and I leave it to the government to weigh in what is right and what is wrong for any future concerts and shows in Malaysia that can easily fall under the list of banned concerts of Malaysia.