Chong said Bersatu should tell PAS to not become overly obsessed with ‘dirty minds’ if the party wants international artists to come and host their concert in Malaysia. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (March 7): Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen has hit back at Bersatu constitution bureau deputy chairman Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif over her request demanding the Unity Government to answer for Malaysia’s failure to secure Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated Eras Tour in the country.
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak chairman said Sasha should instead raise the call to her fellow Perikatan Nasional (PN) partner PAS instead of blaming Putrajaya.
He said Bersatu should tell PAS to not become overly obsessed with ‘dirty minds’ if the party wants international artists to come and host their concert in Malaysia.
“My advice to Bersatu leaders who want to have more international A-class celebrities perform in Malaysia – you should start by controlling the obsession of your friends in PAS, and their dirty minds.
“If not, our country will continue to lose to Singapore as a place of attraction for these artists,” Chong said in his Parliamentary debate speech in Kuala Lumpur today.
He described the Taylor Swift concert, currently taking place in Singapore, as an expensive lesson for the Malaysian government as they could have helped boost the country’s economy.
But the opposition’s obsession with playing racial and religious issues has made Malaysia less desirable for these artists to hold concerts, he added.
“Malaysia should also be able to enjoy economic benefits from concerts by international celebrities, but in reality, this will not happen for reasons that are very obvious to the public hosting concerts in Malaysia.
“It would not only lift up the economy a tremendous boost, but would also place the nation firmly on the world map as a must-visit destination in the region.
“Look at what your friends in PAS are doing to Class A celebrities.
“They send the tourists back, who want to host their shows in the country, with returns of up to 20 times more than pre-pandemic numbers.
“It will become an issue if the singer’s dresscode on stage doesn’t line with the public. It will become another obsession of PAS leaders and become the subject of criticism and condemnation,” he said.
Thus, Chong urged the government to be more open for international artists to come to Malaysia and not succumb to narrow and extremist demands from the opposition.
“It is evident that the Malaysian government recognises the economic potential of such live events.
“I hope the government will be more open and not succumb to narrow and extremist demands from the Opposition,” he said.
On Tuesday, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the incentive provided to Swift to make Singapore the only Southeast Asian stop on her world tour was not a hostile act towards its neighbours.
The city-state previously said it had given Swift a grant to play there, without mentioning the terms of the deal – an announcement that annoyed other countries, with the Thai prime minister saying the grant was made on condition that Singapore would be Swift’s only stop in Southeast Asia.
Meanwhile, Shasha stated that the communications were initiated between the Malaysian government and Taylor Swift’s concert promoter as far back as 2022.
She blamed the Unity government for being unable to seal the deal with Swift.
