Malaysia’s federal Islamic authority has launched an official review into The Weeknd’s recent concert performances in Bukit Jalil to determine whether the events complied with the strict conditions of their government approval. The inquiry comes in response to formal complaints from PAS Youth, which alleged that certain aspects of the high-profile shows bore similarities to ritualistic worship. Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Hasan announced that firm action would be taken should any regulatory breaches be identified.
The investigation is being spearheaded by the Research Division of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM)—an agency widely known for overseeing national halal certification and the recognition of foreign halal certifiers. JAKIM is currently maintaining close communication with the secretariat of Puspal, the official multi-agency committee responsible for evaluating and authorizing performances by foreign artists in Malaysia. Zulkifli, who serves as the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs, confirmed through a social media statement that the primary objective is to thoroughly verify the complaints and assess the concert’s adherence to regulatory stipulations.
The two concerts, held on November 4 and 5 at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, marked the grand finale of the international leg of The Weeknd’s massive After Hours Til Dawn tour. According to industry figures from Pollstar, the tour stands as the highest-grossing concert run by a male solo artist, pulling in approximately US$1.07 billion as of September. Both Kuala Lumpur dates sold out rapidly within two weeks of going on sale, drawing intense public attention and ensuring that the post-event regulatory review carries significant weight even though the performances have already concluded.
Puspal—formally designated as the Central Agencies Committee for the Application of Filming and Performance by Foreign Artists—comprises 16 distinct government bodies, including representatives from JAKIM and the Home Ministry. Addressing the unfolding situation, Zulkifli emphasized that firm action grounded in established law and verified facts would be administered. He also reiterated the core religious tenet that Islam strictly prohibits any form of worship directed toward anything other than Allah.
PAS Youth Questioned a Golden Statue and a Dance Routine
The controversy originated on November 8 when representatives from PAS Youth lodged formal complaints regarding the concerts. The youth wing drew public attention to a giant golden statue utilized during the performance, alongside other theatrical elements that they argued bore a resemblance to ritualistic worship. According to their statements, the production featured elements that could potentially normalize practices running counter to traditional Islamic beliefs.
Sukri Omar, speaking on behalf of PAS Youth, claimed that the concert’s thematic backdrop drew inspiration from a fictional civilization that worshipped machines as deities. He also raised concerns regarding a specific choreography routine involving female dancers dressed in red robes, which he asserted contained overt ritualistic undertones. Emphasizing the group’s stance, Omar stated that society, particularly the Muslim community, must take a collective stand in preventing public events from featuring such contested elements.
At this stage, the allegations remain strictly the assertions of PAS Youth, and no official regulatory findings have been formally issued. News outlets such as the New Straits Times have confirmed that both JAKIM and Puspal are actively reviewing the event footage and documentation to verify whether the organizers adhered to all stipulated conditions.
Puspal Foreign Artist Approval Comes With Conditions and Monitors
Securing approval from Puspal is a mandatory prerequisite for any foreign act intending to perform live in Malaysia, and the clearance process is tied to rigorous conditions. Under standard Puspal guidelines, the Royal Malaysia Police conduct comprehensive background screenings of foreign performers. Furthermore, committee members representing various governmental bodies—including the Immigration Department and local municipal councils—are routinely deployed to attend concerts and major music festivals to monitor compliance on the ground.
The regulatory framework governing international acts has tightened considerably in recent years. In October 2023, government officials informed the Dewan Rakyat that concert organizers had been instructed to incorporate an emergency "kill switch" mechanism into their stage setups. This tool allows authorities to instantly cut off electricity during any live performance that explicitly breaches government guidelines, a measure introduced in the wake of high-profile controversies involving foreign artists.
The strict nature of these conditions is further highlighted by ongoing legal battles within the entertainment sector. A lawsuit filed in London’s High Court by festival organizer Future Sound Asia against British band The 1975—seeking RM11.25 million in damages—explicitly cites Puspal guidelines. These regulations formally prohibit performers from engaging in public displays of affection, such as kissing audience members, while also banning swearing, smoking, drinking, and any form of political or religious commentary on stage.
The Weeknd Shows Sold Out in Two Weeks at Bukit Jalil
Demand for The Weeknd’s Kuala Lumpur stop was exceptionally high. When tickets went on sale in June, Live Nation Malaysia anticipated drawing approximately 65,000 fans per night, translating to an estimated 130,000 attendees across the two scheduled dates at the National Stadium, though these figures represented projected capacity rather than verified final attendance. Paramananthan Rajagopal, managing director of Live Nation Malaysia, noted that public demand was so overwhelming that the company introduced an exclusive pre-sale, and the successful addition of a second show had not been initially planned.
Earlier industry projections from June estimated that gross ticket sales for the two-night run could reach RM103.6 million, based on an assumption of roughly 80,000 paid attendees per evening. For comparison, previous blockbuster concerts in Malaysia—such as Blackpink’s Born Pink tour in 2022 and Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour in 2023—generated RM42.3 million and RM51.9 million respectively. Malaysia’s broader live entertainment sector has grown into a major economic driver, hosting over 400 concerts in 2024 and generating more than RM553 million in tourism impact, with the live performance industry projected to contribute nearly RM1.7 billion to the local economy.
The 1975 and Ed Sheeran Cases Ended Differently Under Puspal
The current scrutiny surrounding The Weeknd contrasts with how authorities handled previous controversies involving international touring acts. Puspal famously blacklisted The 1975 following their performance at the Good Vibes Festival in Sepang in July 2023. During the opening night of the festival, frontman Matty Healy publicly criticized Malaysia’s laws concerning the LGBTQ+ community before kissing a male bandmate on stage. Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil promptly ordered the remainder of the festival cancelled, resulting in the immediate revocation of its operating license.
In that instance, Puspal took legal steps by filing a police report against both the artists and the festival organizers for negligence and failure to comply with established event conditions, noting that organizers assume full legal responsibility for the conduct of performing artists upon application.
Conversely, approvals for other major acts have remained intact despite public objections. When the Penang Mufti called for the cancellation of Ed Sheeran’s concert in February 2024, the government maintained the approval, noting that the application had already undergone rigorous review by JAKIM and the Puspal committee prior to being cleared. Unlike the swift intervention seen during festival violations, the complaints against The Weeknd were raised by PAS Youth days after the concerts had already successfully concluded.
JAKIM and Puspal Have Not Set Out the Conditions or a Timeline
As of November 9, Malaysian authorities have not publicly disclosed the exact operational conditions attached to The Weeknd’s concert approval, nor have they established a definitive timeline for the completion of the JAKIM review. Furthermore, officials have not yet detailed what practical measures "firm action" would entail if a violation is officially confirmed. Representatives for The Weeknd and Live Nation Malaysia have not yet issued a public response to the ongoing allegations.
The responsibility for verifying the claims rests primarily with JAKIM’s Research Division—an institution deeply involved in national religious administration, including co-hosting the Global Halal Summit alongside Malaysia’s trade ministry—working in tandem with the Puspal committee. With the international leg of the After Hours Til Dawn tour officially wrapped up at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, the final chapter of the event now sits firmly in the hands of federal regulators as they determine the factual basis of the religious sensitivity complaints.