Adelaide metalcore outfit I Killed The Prom Queen have been released from the Malaysian immigration detention centre where they were detained over the weekend following a performance in Kuala Lumpur for their Beloved South East Asia tour.
As Tone Deaf reported yesterday, the band was detained after immigration authorities in the country found they did not have the appropriate permit to perform. The band have been released from custody and are expected to arrive home today.
Guitarist Jona Weinhofen initially tweeted that the band could be detained for up to 14 days, with the musician’s mother, Ruth Lock, later telling The Advertiser that the band’s KL promoter “had not obtained the necessary permits for them to play”.
“Apparently we’re going to be detained for 4-14 days in a Malaysian immigration detention centre,” he tweeted on Sunday. But on Monday evening, the guitarist tweeted “freedom”, describing the band’s ordeal as “horrible”.
According to a Facebook post by Ms Lock, the band spent “the day/night in a cell with 35 others (men?) sleeping on the floor with a hole for a toilet. NOT in a modern facility at the airport as assured by… foreign affairs last night”.
“All phones, wallets, passports confiscated and they don’t know where their (considerable!) luggage is. They have flights home already booked for tonight, so here’s hoping they are on them,” she added.
“Sorry Malaysia, but after this horrible experience, I don’t think we will return in a hurry,” Weinhofen tweeted. “Immigration admitted the fault lay with the promoter and yet we were still treated horribly,” Weinhofen replied to one fan.
The guitarist said the band have been released and assured no further action would be taken against the members. Weinhofen also wrote that the Malaysian immigration department had apologised to the band and told them “we never should have been treated that way”.
Weinhofen told one Twitter follower that “wrongful mistreatment of anyone in an immigration situation in not ok in any country” after she suggested Australia would have treated anyone in the country without a visa in a similar way.
Freedom 🙌🏼
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
Sorry Malaysia but after this horrible experience I don't think we will return in a hurry
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
@vongelugor oh I totally agree, but immigration admitted the fault lay with the promoter and yet we were still treated horribly
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
@vongelugor and then apologized to and told we never should have been treated that way
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
Shout out to our homies from Pakistan still in the slammer! Big up Usman, Fazil & the crew #JUTT #159
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
Also huge thanks to Michelle at the Australian High Commission in KL for coming to get us out 🇦🇺❤️
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
@omgShiraMohamed maybe, and if they did and were treated how we were I would expect them to never want to return.
— Jona Weinhofen Ⓥ (@jonaweinhofen) November 16, 2015
@omgShiraMohamed wrongful mistreatment of anyone in an immigration situation is not ok in any country.
— 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