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KUCHING, Aug 8: English pop-rock band The 1975 is facing a seven-day ultimatum from the organisers of Good Vibes Festival (GVF) 2023, Future Sound Asia (FSA), to pay over RM12.3 million in damages over a recent controversy that unfolded during the 10th anniversary of GVF 2023.
The legal counsel for the organisers, David Mathew from Steven Thiru & Sudhar Partnership, has confirmed that a letter of claim, dated Aug 7, 2023, has been sent to the band.
FSA’s demand within the letter is crystal clear: The 1975 must accept their liability and settle a substantial sum of £2,099,154.54 (equivalent to RM12,347,967.91) within just seven days.
“The Letter of Claim is written in accordance with the provisions of the English Practice Direction Pre-Action Conduct and Protocol, which are part of the English Civil Procedure Rules,” David told Malay Mail today.
The basis for this legal action stems from an incident during the recent festival, where the band’s frontman, Matty Healy, generated a significant controversy during their performance on the festival’s opening night.
Consequently, the festival’s remaining two days were abruptly cancelled after Healy’s explicit remarks against Malaysia’s anti-LGBT laws and an on-stage kiss with bassist Ross MacDonald.
According to David, FSA’s claim against The 1975 primarily centres around an intentional breach of contract.
Prior to the performance, Healy’s representative explicitly assured compliance with local guidelines and regulations.
However, these assurances were disregarded, and the band’s actions directly violated their contract with FSA, ultimately leading to the festival’s cancellation and substantial financial losses for the organisers, David explained.
Should The 1975 fail to acknowledge their liability and compensate the GVF 2023 organisers, David said FSA is prepared to initiate legal proceedings in the English Court system. — DayakDaily
