The 1975 have been issued with a legal demand for $2.7 million (£2.1 million) after a Malaysian festival was cancelled after frontman Matty Healy kissed a male bandmate.
Homosexuality is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia and The Good Vibes music festival in Kuala Lumpur was called off after the band’s frontman Matt Healy kissed bassist Ross MacDonald during their performance on 21 July. He also condemned the country's anti-LGBTQ+ laws from the stage.
Malaysian government ministers have since moved to ban the group from the country and they cancelled shows in Muslim-majority Indonesia and Taiwan following the controversy.
David Dinesh Mathew, a lawyer for event organiser FSA said in a statement on Friday: “I can confirm that my firm issued a seven-day letter of claim to the UK band 1975 demanding for RM12.3 million ($2.68m) in damages on behalf of Future Sound Asia (FSA).”
He said the claim against the band was “essentially for breach of contract” as he alleged Healy’s representative had signed a written assurance that the band would “adhere to all local guidelines and regulations”.
The group has until 14 August to respond to the claim.
