MALAYSIA has denied Canto pop star Denise Ho Wan-sze permission to perform in the country in April because of her support for the LGBT community, the South China Morning Post reported her as saying yesterday.

The Hong Kong democracy activist apologised to her fans in a Facebook post, saying Malaysian officials informed members of her team earlier in the week that her application for a permit to perform in Malaysia was denied because she was an active supporter of the LGBT community.

They received an official rejection letter yesterday.

But the letter did not mention the LGBT issue, only stating that “a number of issues need to be addressed if the artist is brought in for the performance in this country”. 

Ho, who came out as a lesbian in 2012, had planned to hold a leg of her tour in Kuala Lumpur on April 14 despite fears of rejection because of her large fan base in Malaysia.

Other stops in Asia include Singapore and Taiwan.

She said her team was arranging a refund for the deposit on the venue, but that shows in Singapore and Taiwan were not affected. Performances in the United States and Canada in May were still being planned.

“My dearest friends in Malaysia, I am very sorry,” Ho wrote.

“The world is not as progressive as we imagine; that I know. But I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed for being once again turned down for my identity.”

Communication and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Kuruak told Reuters yesterday that all performances in the country had to follow “local law and values”, but did not specify a reason for Ho’s rejection. – February 16, 2018.