Perform for Palestinian causes, says Nurul Izzah to Radiohead

PETALING JAYA: Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, who has promised to bring British rock band Radiohead to Malaysia, hopes it will perform a concert for Palestinian charitable causes.

The PKR MP said the concert could serve as a reminder to “everyone of the universality of music and peace as a unifying tool”.

“It is our hope that you will consider this proposal.

“Not just for the purpose of performing for a noteworthy cause, but to also give another reason to cheer in a year of many firsts for us,” she said in a letter to the group.

Nurul Izzah had uploaded the letter onto her Twitter account yesterday.

Radiohead has come under criticism for performing in Israel on Wednesday despite calls to boycott the show, which is said to be an insult to the Palestinians being oppressed.

Acknowledging that the band’s decision to play in the country could be construed as a tacit endorsement of ongoing persecution against the Palestinians, Nurul Izzah said she believes that the group was sensitive towards the issue of human rights abuse.

In a Twitter posting last May, she had expressed her commitment to bring the band, which is from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, to Malaysia.

“Indeed. A promise is a promise #Post Rama dan Discussion. Now get on to work!” Nurul Izzah tweeted.

Formed in 1985, Radiohead has hits such as Creep, Paranoid Android, No Surprises, Karma Police, Exit Music, High and Dry and My Iron Lung.