British alternative-rock band Coldplay headlined its first-ever concert in Malaysia yesterday and despite the rain, it was a successful show attended by over 75,000 people.
The show was not without its controversies though, as prior to yesterday, many quarters had called for the show to be cancelled or postponed for various reasons. These include the band’s alleged links with LGBT groups and to show solidarity with Palestinians amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
However, one particular viral social media post may have taken things a bit too far, whereby a Facebook user urged fellow Malaysians to pray for the concert to be hit by thunderstorms.
In the post, which has since been deleted, the Malaysian Facebook user asserted,
“Let’s all pray together, that tonight, Allah will send the heaviest of rains to Bukit Jalil and continuous bolts of lightnings. Let’s pray. If you’re too lazy to raise your arms and pray, just say Amen to this post. #BantahColdplay”
Following the post going viral, the individual created another Facebook post teasing naysayers who criticised him for urging people to pray for a disaster to befall the concert and its attendees. Furthermore, he even took the opportunity to promote his Takaful Hibah service to those visiting his Facebook page after the first post went viral.
In the second post, he wrote,
“Given that my Coldplay post suddenly went viral, I (would like to clarify that I) only prayed for rain and lightning. So that the concert be delayed or something. Apparently, a lot of people are scared of prayers, no wonder many people make noises regarding the Qunut Nazilah.”
Besides that, he also associated Coldplay with gay couples while promoting his Hibah service and clarified that he’s not a Ustaz (religious teacher) or a committee member for PAS.
Rather expectedly, this second post also faced backlash and it has also since been deleted. However, like everything posted on the internet, people kept receipts and the posts have resurfaced on X, particularly by a Malaysian who called the man out for using his photo without permission in the first post.
The photo itself is of concertgoers gathering in Bukit Jalil National Stadium but not of Coldplay’s show, but the Muse concert held earlier this year.
In the replies, many Malaysians called out the Facebook user for urging people to pray for thunderstorms during the concert. One commenter said that the individual has a ‘rotten heart’ for praying disasters to befall others.
Meanwhile, another commenter said that it indeed rained last night, but it somehow made the concert better.
Besides that, another commenter shared a recent screenshot of the man’s Facebook post about a flood near the man’s hometown of Kuala Terengganu, pointing out the irony of the post to him praying for thunderstorms at Coldplay’s KL concert.
So, what do you guys think of the whole situation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Also read: Coldplay’s Lead, Chris Martin Spotted Kneeling & “Kissing” the Ground Upon His Arrival in KL
