Concertgoers in Malaysia are being reminded to dress modestly, behave responsibly, and respect the country’s cultural and religious values when attending shows.
Communications Ministry deputy secretary-general (Strategic Communications and Creative Industry) Nik Kamaruzaman Nik Husin said the updated rules are not meant to spoil the experience but to ensure concerts remain safe and aligned with local norms.
He said events should not become scenes of disorder or indecency, adding that banned items such as weapons, alcohol, drugs, and political or religious signs are strictly prohibited.
The new guidelines come from the ministry’s Unit for Application for Foreign Filming and Performance by Foreign Artiste (Puspal). Although they mainly target organisers and performers, they also extend indirectly to audience behaviour through the organisers’ obligations.
Concertgoers are expected to wear appropriate clothing and act respectfully. Disruptive behaviour—such as shouting offensive slogans, stirring religious sentiments, or throwing objects—could lead to removal from the venue. The guide does not specify what “appropriate” attire means, but clothes considered immodest or overly revealing are not allowed. Authorities, however, have reportedly never carried out audience dress-code checks.
Puspal also requires organisers to brief foreign performers about Malaysia’s cultural, religious, and legal expectations before they go on stage. Among the rules: male international performers cannot appear in women’s clothing, and performers of any gender cannot remove clothing on stage or wear outfits exposing the chest area or that fall excessively above the knee. Large-scale concerts with more than 5,000 attendees cannot be held on the eve or day of Islamic public holidays without prior approval from the relevant religious authorities.
Nik Kamaruzaman also explained the “kill switch” mechanism introduced in 2023, which allows concerts to be halted immediately if performers breach guidelines. It has only been used once—during South Korean singer Hyolyn’s Ye!LoO concert on May 31—when the stage briefly went dark amid reports that the performers’ outfits were too revealing. The system was first tested at Coldplay’s 2023 show following controversy surrounding The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy, who criticised Malaysia’s LGBTQ laws and kissed a bandmate on stage.
All concerts approved by Puspal are subject to these rules. Depending on the scale of the event, two to six Puspal officers—backed by agencies such as police, immigration, and religious departments—will be on-site. Under the Incident Management Plan, local authority officers and organisers may activate the kill switch based on Puspal officers’ advice, with the decision made by the head of the enforcement team. Any activation will later be reviewed by the Puspal committee for possible action against organisers.
Nik Kamaruzaman said the kill switch is used only in serious situations after considering the nature of the incident, risks to attendees, legal implications, and immediate safety threats.
