Linkin Park’s planned concert in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur is being protested by an Islamist opposition group. The group called Parti Islam se-Malaysia says the band’s presence could contribute to moral decay within the youth of the country. They have urged the government to overturn its previous decision to let the band play. Linkin Park is scheduled to perform at the city’s 50,000-seat Merdeka Stadium on October 15.
The band must adhere to a strict code of “performance ethics” that includes the following restrictions: “Male artists must cover their bodies from the chest to knee level…the artist must not display rough, raunchy actions that conflict with pure values, such as leaping around, screaming or throwing something from the stage to the audience.” Sexually provocative gestures, speech, and clothing are also banned, as well as anything linked to drugs or other “negative elements.”
Malaysia, located in Southeast Asia, has a population of 25 million and is a predominantly Muslim nation.
