The 1975 frontman Matty Healy’s recent appearance at a festival in Kuala Lumpur – where he criticised Malaysia’s homophobic laws and kissed a male bandmate on stage – has strongly angered conservatives in the country. Members of the LGBTQ+ community have also expressed unease over his actions, fearing that the episode risks further exacerbating the hostilities they face. “He gets to fly out of the country and not face the consequences, while our people have to face the brunt of what just happened,” said the drag performer Carmen Rose, who described the speech as self-serving, adding that it risked undoing the work of activists.