
Australian metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen has been detained in a Malaysian immigration centre over the weekend for performing without visas but was released on Monday night. They have claimed that they won’t be coming back to the country for quite some time.
“Sorry Malaysia but after this horrible experience I don’t think we will return in a hurry,” lead guitarist Jona Weinhofen tweeted.
Sorry Malaysia but after this horrible experience I don’t think we will return in a hurry
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the five-piece band was detained by the Malaysian immigration authorities after their performance in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, 14 November 2015.
Currently sitting in Immigration office Malaysia waiting to be deported (best case scenario) because the promoter didn’t get us visas
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 14, 2015
The band was in Kuala Lumpur as part of their one week-long South-East Asia tour which included Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Kuching, and the final show was supposed to be in Indonesia on Sunday.
I Killed the Prom Queen could have been detained in Malaysia for up to 14 days because the promoters for the Kuala Lumpur show had failed to get them visas, but was released by the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.
Apparently we’re going to be detained for 4 – 14 days in a Malaysian immigration detention center
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 14, 2015
Weinhofen also said that the band received a proper apology from immigration department’s director general, Mustafa Ibrahim.
Also huge thanks to Michelle at the Australian High Commission in KL for coming to get us out ??❤️
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
A lot of press is stating we were deported. For the record we were released with no action against us & apologized to by DG of immigration
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
The band was locked up with 30 other prisoners and was somehow approached for autographs by immigration staff while being locked up.
Weirdest part is some of the immigration officers asked us to autograph stuff & one is wearing a prom queen shirt. Still locking us up tho
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 14, 2015
(Photo source: epitaph.com)