Gioli & Assia claim Malaysian govt cancelled their show because they are in a same-sex relationship

Italian electro-pop duo, Giol_f8GIg8)XtQh(([email protected]$AGld&6fZqIDkQ+c9vFgi & Assia, who are also a same-sex couple, claim the  Malaysian government cancelled a Kuala Lumpur show this weekend because of their sexuality.

“We have to sadly announce that our show at W Hotel injOV4Lv9BFCSNnq71XqC4R2yLID8qxlc7!AsOt19F8AIVVOO2zC Kuala Lumpur has been cancelled due to our LGBT orientation,” Gioli wrote in an Instagram story shared on Twitter.

Gioli explained that a government agency performs background checks on artists performingXnOtcEdQ3Z%U8srqN3W)wk$!1%vyuT8yt4C7wbIn#IuS(t$W#h in Malaysia.

“In their CGTH!k50*Ay_f8SzWp=vp8OiG-N6sE%#=abpmcZV3baac1E6g2research, they have concluded that Gioli & Assia is of LGBT orientation and are seen to be promoting LGBT”, Gioli wrote.

“Sad that this ca(qi&X)BorFa3FU)[email protected]*pokWu$Q02-!_j9F-Vj&_+yyrEEn still happen in 2019. Sad that love is still a cause of discrimination. Sad."

The W Hotel, where the duo was scheduled to perform on Saturday, said the show was cancelled due 6u^[email protected]#[email protected]&NEcdQnm#[email protected])ST5QnYf+F75+to "due to unforeseen circumstances”.

Crackdown in Malaysia

Gay sex is illegal under British colonial-era laws in Mnl$gUl=R8dX*nTe2AvLw#kE+VO5m1qqw*(%u8eZfsi0Hrt(@RDalaysia. Those found guilty face up to 20 years in prison.

But, in addition to the threat of criminal prosA9X*N3H7Mqyzpt4%dRk)[email protected]_$7*N+G0DoKT4XK#%ecution, increasing stigma and discrimination also marginalize the country’s LGBTI community.

A number of religious and political figures have consistently whipped up anti-LGBTI sentimenOFBA&v5TDgFVUfvc5^Srb4%NsV7NDk*T8IExT0gexU$$JPNYkLts in the Muslim majority country.

Local neQ8sKz+UsdHYna_WO_(Cijn$UlmA$%GY55c^DPRykG)6n*6$RWWwspapers have vilified prominent LGBTI figures.

Malaysia’s Prime Mini_O+^-OWG0EhhZY0E$TmwrOiBK%FKL1H7sMNYIdLb4dAf=2JLZOster, meanwhile, has labelled LGBT rights a Western import and said they have no place in Malaysia.

The Malaysian authoritiIxNbE-kPg^rH%BLrZxD$G-4M0GMIFieuNz$MGgcqxrDbZ1LC6ces have also clamped down on the LGBTI community.

In one of the most controversial instances, in September two women were caned in the heavily conservative sta!D%+to6+MoxEo&uRFW$3EXy%E=3m%n#MR+SQ=*d5VpH(1)LUDgte of Terengganu for allegedly being in a same-sex relationship.

Police also raided a well-known gay bar hFO6tLs48jh+JS30^[email protected](#[email protected]_2d)EjyAsZj%-P6Jin Kuala Lumpur for the first time in its 30-year history.