Malaysian Punk House Rumah Api Gets Gofundme Drive Launched To Help Cover Losses

Rumah Api is a community-run DIY punk space and venue in KL Malaysia that I’m sure many of you have visited and likely spent some great times there. The contribution made by Rumah Api to the underground counter-cultural movements of Kuala Lumpur (and by extension Malaysia) is nothing short of pivotal.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the implementation of the MCO (movement control order) nationwide. As a result, punk shows and other events obviously had to stop. This means that Rumah Api is making zero income from the door and the bar. The monthly rental for the space is RM3100 ($1,118.97 AUD – at the time of writing). The last rent payment was made for February, as lock-down in Malaysia began on March 18th.

At this point, the Rumah Api crew owe rent for March, April, and May, and will most likely have to include June. The combined amount owed from March through to June would total $4475.88 AUD, which is certainly no small figure.

Unfortunately, requests to have the rent reduced were denied. The landlord has provided Rumah Api with a “pay when you can”-type deal, but needless to say, that agreement will have it’s limitations too.

Hopefully, this initiative can at the very least substantially reduce the financial burden on the members and individuals of the core organizational collective, as many of them have also had their jobs and income jeopardized due to the virus and MCO lock-down measures (which are quite serious and far-reaching in Malaysia).

We understand that many people are in similar situations and may not be at the most financially stable point in their lives, but it must be stressed that any help will go a long way. Thank you all very much.

Make your donations here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/solidarity-amp-support-for-rumah-api-rental