LAMB OF GOD recently cancelled their concert in Malaysia in the wake of JAKIM's (Malaysian Department of Islamic Development) and the government's accusations that they were satanic and had "insulted Islam" (Malaysia's state religion). The band received death threats over social media as a result. The organiser of the concert, Livescape Asia, together with LAMB OF GOD, voluntarily decided to call the concert off, just as the government announced that it has revoked the band's permit from performing in the country.

The worst thing about being from any youth-centric subculture in Malaysia is the utter helplessness we feel. The old men who run this country are all stuck in the feudal politics of the past and the young ones in government are squashed into submission / willingly do not speak up because they do not want to jeopardise their position in the party. I'm looking at you, Yang Berhormat Khairy Jamaluddin. I looked up to that man for his intelligence and moderateness. But it seems to me that he picks and chooses when he lets that side show, and it's all for an ulterior motive. He was all heroic when PAS slammed Metallica but when JAKIM started picking on LAMB OF GOD he was totally mum. Why? I think it's because Metallica was invited by the government while LAMB OF GOD was not officially part of the Visit Malaysia 2014 plan.

But without any political figures to speak for us, we always have the media to look to, right? Sadly, no. There are far too many other problems in this country that has taken up the time of our media and I'm sad to say this, but even if they had the time, they would only print what's hot. Metal is not "hot". The only time we see Metal get any airtime is not when bands get together for charity concerts or do other positive activities, but instead only when some "prominent" religious or government authority criticises Metal. We're only good enough for bad press, it seems. When will the misunderstandings and unfairness against metal ever end? Do we really have to travel to Thailand, Indonesia or Singapore every time we want to catch our favourite bands? Are there no religious or governmental authorities in religious countries such as Indonesia or Thailand that oppose metal? I'm sure there are, but it seems to me that they understand the difference between art and reality, opinion and insult.

Metalheads in Malaysia do not have a platform to get their issues out. We do not have a say in any governmental decision that affects our culture. Our opinion goes completely ignored. I wrote a piece that went online for the newspaper I work for, TheSun, titled "Fans of LAMB OF GOD voice frustrations over social media", where I spoke to several Metalheads on what they felt about the issue. They gave their eloquent and very fair points, but now I'm just sitting here wondering if JAKIM or anybody in the government actually read it and thought on it. I also got some comments from several human rights lawyers (who are also Metalheads) on the issue. They spoke about infringement of our freedom of expression and the government's mistake in trying to tell the people what they can and cannot listen to. Has that point been noted, JAKIM? Do you even exist outside of your little office? Do you read, listen, watch, experience anything at all that is not JAKIM-centered?

We're expected to obey and sit still. The scene does not have any proper government backing. If we all sat around and played acoustic guitars maybe we would, but we shred on electric guitars and scream into microphones so perhaps that's why the government looks at us with contempt. But are we really that different from any other youth subculture? Is our culture any more detrimental than that of the hipsters? EDM ravers? Clubbers? No. None of these cultures are fundamentally detrimental – they are all platforms for youth to express themselves and enjoy art with like-minded people. As much as I do not relate with the clubbing culture or EDM music, I will never in my life condemn those scenes for what they are. I may dislike the music because it's not to my tastes or maybe even express that I don't like hanging out with the people that frequent those scenes, but I will never call for it to be oppressed, discriminated against, looked down on or ignored. If someone from the EDM culture wanted to sit down and talk about the music he loves, I will welcome him whole-heartedly, because I want to learn and understand what I do not know about and what I do not understand. That's the whole point of discourse. The religious and government authorities in Malaysia however, don't want to learn and understand. They want the people to submit to their ideas, and through that, gain political mileage for whatever wretched personal cause it is they are crusading for.

In Sam Dunn's Global Metal, he visited the highly religious and conservative Indonesia. Like the scene in Malaysia, they had initial problems gaining traction. But Indonesia is now seeing its local scene thrive. The metal scene in Indonesia is well-known in the region for being the most prominent. Religious leaders there initially condemned the movement, but I think the large number of Metalheads there overran the feeble squabbling of politicians. You can't fight numbers with whining. In Brazil, the scene also had difficulties starting out. Like Indonesia, Brazil was just out of an oppressive government when Metal started its rise there. Politicians opposed it, but some soon got the idea that metal was a good way for the youth to express their emotions and frustration. Within Metal, youth have a platform to act out against injustice and oppression. Metal actually helped the Brazilian government with the problems of the youth. Metal is strong, loud, and independent – a country just out of a dictatorship needed something like that. What is Malaysia's problem with their youth being strong, loud, and independent? What is Malaysia so afraid of?

JAKIM's holier-than-thou explanation that LAMB OF GOD had insulted Islam confounds me. Their allegations stem from a video, posted in 2008 but filmed in 2004 by a fan at LAMB OF GOD's "Ashes of the Wake" / "Killadelphia" concert. The video had been edited and compressed, and the final result showed the playing of a recording of the Quran's Surah ar-Rahman right before the band began playing "Laid to Rest". A Muslim NGO presented the video to JAKIM along with the plea for the concert to be banned. In their fit of noble self-glorification, JAKIM announced to the press that they want the concert to be banned, without first consulting anybody from Livescape Asia or bothering to understand Lamb of God's art.

Guitarist Mark Morton tweeted, "Relax people, it's ART... nothing to feel threatened by... nothing to be intimidated by... it shouldn't threaten your way of life... and if you think you know what it means, you're probably WRONG..." He was probably responding both to Malaysians who had made death threats to the band and to JAKIM. I'm not even going to go into detail about how the recording of the Surah ar-Rahman was meant as more of a tribute than an insult, or how "Ashes in the Wake" and the "Killadelphia" concert was entirely about the band's protest of the war in Iraq, a cause that the Malaysian government happens to share with the Metal band (oh, the horror!). I'm not going to make a case for the band, because LAMB OF GOD and Malaysian Metalheads do not have to submit themselves to the prying judgment of JAKIM with meticulous explanations and begging pleas. We are who we are and we do not owe JAKIM jack-shit. JAKIM owes US, for taking away our freedom of expression, discriminating against their fellow countrymen, and putting the lives of the members of LAMB OF GOD in danger due to their silly, unfounded accusations.

It seems to me that Malaysia will never learn. They banned Beyonce because she refused to alter her performance image and cover up. They banned Erykah Badu for tattooing the word "Allah" on herself. And in what must be the stupidest reasons ever to ban anything, they banned MEGADETH for their "satanic and creepy" mascot, Vic Rattlehead. Among other things they have banned include books (including Spongebob Sqaurepants and Dora the Explora titles), certain Friends and Ally McBeal TV episodes, WikiLeaks and they are also trying to stop non-Muslims from using the word Allah. It seems that in addition to their monopoly on holy, positive music, they also want to have a monopoly on words. Malaysia has also deported numerous people and revoked PRs (Permanent Residence) because those PR holders had "allegedly insulted Islam", with the latest case being that of a Singaporean PR holder who allowed Buddhist monks to pray in a surau in his resort. The police also recently arrested 78-year-old national laureate poet, A Samad Said, in the middle of the goddamn night and questioned him for two hours before releasing him just because he read a poem with the Sang Saka Malaya (one of the proposed national flags before the current one) flying in the background. As you can tell, we have an excellent grasp on the concept of art and human rights.

The government has also banned countless other bands, and even METALLICA made their list of 200-plus "Black Metal bands" that should never be allowed in the country because of how "satanic" they are. METALLICA – Black Metal – satanic. Seriously, now? Of course, for their own personal gain, the government soon decided that it was fine for METALLICA to perform here. Way to go, double standards! If there's one thing we excel at, it's hypocrisy! Be proud, Malaysians! Be proud that the country our forefathers fought so hard for and died for is now a swarming, smarming, loony land of swindling, shining hypocrisy.

Congratulations, Malaysia. The world now knows of your infinite wisdom and knowledge, especially when it comes to Black Metal. The Malaysian government is a real expert on that. Maybe JAKIM should write a book about its struggles fighting off the bad influences of Black Metal. It can be titled "JAKIM v.s. Satan's Music – our lifelong struggle demonising Western influences and protecting our vulnerable Malaysian youth". It would be a hit, just like "Quotations from Chairman Mao."

*This article is the personal opinion of the writer