Lawyers offer pro bono to local artists over revenue loss from Good Vibes Festival

SHAH ALAM - A group of lawyers has offered pro bono services to local artists to take action against British band The 1975 over the loss of income after the cancellation of the Good Vibes Festival held in Sepang.

Lawyer Mathew Thomas Phillip said his team consisting of Ahmad Iyas Husni, Phoebe Loi and Nandakumar S Haridas are putting their hearts and minds to improving the first working draft of the class action by local artists and vendors against The 1975.

"If there are any further information that you may possess and which may have a bearing on the suit against The 1975 such as the location of the assets of the The 1975, please contact our pro bono team," he wrote in his Facebook post.

Phillip further wrote on his Instastory that he presumed that local artists who were supposed to perform will not get their full pay due to the cancellation.

"I am happy to represent all the local artist pro bono to sue the band The 1975 for causing losses," he wrote.

He further said: "Dear The 1975 band. It is not The 1975's time or space to tell us how to run our country. You should have stuck to your scope of work as per your contract which you recklessly breached."

In the civil suit, it named Matthew Timothy Healy, Adam Brian Hann, Ross Stewart MacDonald and George Bedford Daniel as defendants.

The reliefs are for general damages to be assessed by the Shah Alam High Court, interests on all sums found to be due to the plaintiff at such rates, costs, and other reliefs as deemed fit.

Vocalist Matty Healy had slammed the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws and kissed a bandmate on stage on Friday night, prompting Communications and Digital Ministry to cancel the rest of the three-day event immediately.

Homosexual acts are punishable in Malaysia by fines and up to 20 years in prison, if convicted.