Malaysia denies failing to secure Taylor Swift concert despite starting groundwork in 2022
- Deputy youth and sports minister Adam Adli said the gig was never offered to the country under a joint contract with Sportswork and a US-based company
- A lawmaker said he doubted if Swift would have come to Malaysia, given the Islamist PAS party’s penchant for opposing shows involving foreign artists
Adam said the concert was never offered to Malaysia, adding that organising concerts were also not under the purview of his ministry.
“Recent reports on the matter are not accurate. The concert in question was never offered to the Malaysian government under a joint contract with Sportswork Group Sdn Bhd and US-based company ASM Global.
“The contract signed in early 2023 was only to support overall venue management,” he said in parliament on Thursday.
The deputy minister was responding to a supplementary question by Kampar MP Chong Zhemin who asked for the ministry’s response to claims that Malaysia failed to seize the opportunity to host A-list celebrities.
Sportswork said Swift’s show was never part of the contract it signed with ASM Global, adding the entertainment industry would have been aware of forthcoming gigs ahead of official announcements.