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To celebrate the release of Michael in cinemas, the new biopic about Michael Jackson, let's take a trip down memory lane to when the late singer visited Malaysia nearly 30 years ago
Michael Jackson was unlike any performer the world had ever seen.
Born in 1958, he was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist widely regarded as the King of Pop and one of the most culturally significant figures of the 20th century.
He began his career as the lead singer of the Jackson 5, one of Motown's most successful acts, before launching a legendary solo career that saw him rise to global superstardom through iconic albums like Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous, revolutionising music videos and popularising dance moves like the moonwalk that became synonymous with pop culture.
Over a four-decade career, Michael broke racial barriers in music and became a dominant figure worldwide, and left a lasting mark on global pop culture.
He also had a well-documented ambition to tour as many countries as possible to share his music with fans.
Malaysia was one of them. In fact, he was originally scheduled to perform in Kuala Lumpur in 1993 but cancelled due to health issues, reported the Los Angeles Times.
Malaysian fans had to wait three more years before he finally arrived in 1996.
Here are seven interesting things the King of Pop did while he was in the country:
1. He performed two nights at Stadium Merdeka for his HIStory World Tour
The concerts were part of the HIStory World Tour — his third and final global tour, spanning 82 shows across 56 cities worldwide.
A total of about 4.5 million loving fans attended 82 concerts that spanned over 13 months.
The tour was announced not long after his then-latest album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. It was a double-disc album, with the first disc serving as a greatest hits compilation and the second featuring 15 new songs.
It had been released in June 1995, making the 1996 Malaysia stop part of the tour's second major leg.
On 27 and 29 October 1996 (a Sunday and Tuesday), he performed to crowds of around 40,000 people each night at Stadium Merdeka.
2. He performed a two-hour set with 17 songs
The show opened with Scream, followed by a seamless transition into They Don't Care About Us, both reflecting themes of resistance often found in his music.
He went on to perform many of his biggest hits, including Smooth Criminal, Billie Jean, Thriller, Beat It, and Dangerous.
Two lucky female fans were chosen to share the stage with him during You Are Not Alone, a signature moment in his concerts.
During Heal The World, Malaysian children and adults were invited on stage, many dressed in traditional outfits and school uniforms.
Citing throwback discussions on Facebook and Lowyat, tickets reportedly sold from as low as RM65 to RM400. At the time, the ringgit to US dollar exchange rate was about 2.62.
In March 2023, a Facebook post went viral for highlighting concert ticket prices, which were a far cry from today's costs.
You can watch the full concert here. Check the pinned comment to jump straight to your favourite songs:
3. He stayed in a now-iconic suite that's still preserved today
Michael stayed at the Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur in a massive 3,000 sq ft suite.
The room has since been preserved as a time capsule, complete with signed memorabilia and photos from his stay.
In an Instagram post last year, the hotel shared photos of the suite, showing that he even left behind autographed items for hotel staff and wrote "Saya cinta Malaysia!" on one of them.
4. Fans followed him everywhere, including a visit to 1 Utama Shopping Centre
When he arrived at Subang Airport, thousands of fans showed up to welcome him, many dressed like him.
He later visited 1 Utama Shopping Mall, where the crowd became so overwhelming that security had to temporarily shut the gates.
During the visit, he bought toys not for himself, but as gifts for children.
5. He made time to meet and interact with children
At a Toys "R" Us store, children welcomed him by chanting "King of Pop".
They even sang Heal The World to the singer himself, while he watched and applauded.
BuzzFeed News reported that kids from Silly String, a children's home, were also invited to meet him, playfully spraying the gentle-mannered artiste with party string.
6. Fans camped outside his hotel just to see him
In a montage found on YouTube, large crowds gathered outside his hotel daily, hoping to catch a glimpse of him on his 18th-floor balcony.
Some even released balloons and displayed a massive "Welcome Michael, We Love You" banner visible from his room.
He occasionally appeared on the balcony and signed autographs for fans below, including both children and adults.
The New Straits Times reported that the star also welcomed about 30 children and about a dozen adults at his hotel room, including Concorde Hotel owner Tan Sri Syed Yusof Syed Nasir.
Michael was described as polite, quiet, warm, fair, and rosy by his admirers.
You can watch the montage here:
7. He risked a stomachache for his love of tandoori chicken
Speaking to The Star, Concorde Hotel's food and beverage manager Badrul Hisham said the Indiana-born singer experienced a stomachache after eating tandoori chicken.
"But he liked it so much that he ate it again for several days," said Badrul, adding that the star also enjoyed ice-cream and M&Ms.
As Michael prepared to leave, he personally presented Badrul with a signed photograph as a token of appreciation.
Michael is showing now in cinemas
You can purchase a Michael Jackson fedora hat popcorn bucket at GSC. More information here.
Meanwhile, visit GSC here or TGV here to book tickets to the biopic.
