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

He said his office will report the matter to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) 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,” Fahmi wrote on social media.

“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 SWT protect us from slander and those who commit it.”

The poster, which has gone viral on social media, said Fahmi had given instructions for PAS to be portrayed as an extremist party to shift the blame from him, who had permitted the controversial UK band, The 1975, to  perform in Malaysia.

The band’s performance at the festival was stopped after its vocalist Matty Healy drank alcohol and kissed his male bandmate on stage. He also made a long, rambling speech about Malaysia’s LGBT laws. 

Fahmi said he had strongly condemned the disrespectful actions of the group on Twitter and called the event organiser for an explanation at 10am the next day after the act.

He said the instructions to cancel the festival, which had two more days to run, were also issued at 1pm on Saturday, about 14 hours after the fiasco. – Bernama, July 25, 2023.