M’sia Authorities Clarify Modest Concert Dress Code Applies Only to Performers

PUSPAL Clears the Air

On 22 September 2025, the Communications Ministry clarified that the government’s newly updated concert guidelines on dress codes and conduct are meant for performing artists only, not the audience.

In a statement, the ministry’s Central Agency for Application of Filming and Performance by Foreign Artists (PUSPAL) explained that while concertgoers are encouraged to dress and behave appropriately, these are recommendations and advice rather than binding rules.

“JK-PUSPAL would like to emphasise that the PUSPAL Guidelines (GPP 6.0) only set the code and ethics of attire for artists who will be performing, and do not prescribe any dress code or attire ethics for visitors or audiences attending concerts,” the statement reads.

Rough translation of the post. Photo courtesy of PUSPAL on Facebook

This clarification came after The Star reported earlier that the rules extended to both performers and audiences, quoting the ministry deputy secretary-general for Strategic Communications and Creative Industry, Nik Kamaruzaman Nik Husin, as advising concertgoers to follow the guidelines.

Nik Kamaruzaman Nik Husin. Photo courtesy of Dewan Budaya

What the Guidelines Actually Say

According to the report, the updated PUSPAL GPP 6.0 Guidelines spell out clear rules for organisers and performers.

Performers’ attire: Male artists are not allowed to wear women’s clothing, and all performers are prohibited from removing clothing on stage or wearing outfits that expose the chest area or are excessively above the knee.
Timing of events: Large-scale concerts with more than 5,000 attendees cannot be held on the eve or day of Islamic public holidays unless special approval is granted from religious authorities.
Briefing for performers: Organisers must ensure foreign artists are briefed on Malaysia’s cultural, religious, and legal expectations before they go on stage.

While PUSPAL emphasised that audience dress codes are not enforced, organisers were also reminded to prioritise safety and crowd management, especially regarding alcohol and drugs at events.

What Concertgoers Cannot Bring?

Prohibited items at concerts include:

Weapons
Alcohol
Drugs
Political or religious signs

Concertgoers who engage in disruptive behaviour such as shouting offensive slogans, instigating religious sentiments, or throwing objects may also be removed from the venue.

What Is the “Kill Switch”?

Malaysia also enforces a “kill switch” mechanism at concerts, which allows events to be halted immediately if artists breach cultural or legal guidelines.

The system was introduced in 2023 following controversy sparked by British band The 1975, when frontman Matty Healy criticised Malaysia’s LGBTQ laws and kissed his bandmate on stage during a performance in Kuala Lumpur.

Photo via The Guardian courtesy of Sky News

So far, the kill switch was triggered once, during South Korean singer Hyolyn’s Ye!LoO Concert on 31 May 2025.

Photo courtesy of yelloo.concert on Instagram

A video on TikTok showed the stage going dark mid-performance before it resumed, and it is believed the intervention was linked to the performers’ revealing outfits.

Read the full guidelines here.

Watch the video here:

@kyungra_

Hyolyn blackout incident 🤐🤐🤐 #YellooConcert #HyolynInKL #Hyolyn #HyolynSistar #Sistar #ShakeIt #T_AraInKL #kpopconcert #IdeaLiveArena #PUSPAL

♬ original sound – kyung – kyung