The three-day Good Vibes Festival 2023 was brought to an unfortunate halt when singer Matty Healy's (of UK band The 1975) behaviour onstage - smoking and drinking, slamming Malaysia's LGBTQ laws, and kissing a male bandmate - got the event cancelled by the Communications and Digital Ministry. This has then led to a number of converging criticisms and conversations: on the economic impact of all this on local vendors, where the organisers' responsibility lies, whether the government over-reacted, and finally on Healy's behaviour and "performative activism". We unpack the various issues involved by speaking to the festival’s organisers, an affected food vendor, as well as exploring why it’s important to understand local context before advocating for an issue.

Image Credit: 123rf.com

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