KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — The bar hosting the "Thai Hot Guy” event here has agreed to cancel it after receiving a warning from authorities, Wangsa Maju police chief Supt Ashari Abu Samah said.

Ashari said the police visited the bar after becoming aware of posters online promoting the event later this month, and met with both the event organisers and management of the bar.

"The police issued a stern warning to the organisers not to proceed with the event and to cancel it.

"Both the organisers and management agreed to cancel it, and no event or programme will be held such as that being spread online,” he said in a statement.

Ashari also said 60 reports had already been lodged over the event as of 4pm, adding that police would monitor the venue closely and take action in the event if any laws were broken.

Earlier today, the political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim responded to the brewing controversy by saying the venue was not licensed to host the show that would have featured waiters in lingerie from a popular Bangkok restaurant.

Azman Abidin also said the venue called Privacy Club, which is located off Jalan Tun Razak, was operating on a restaurant permit that had expired in 2021.

Controversy began growing yesterday after Islamist party PAS complained that the event was hurtful to Muslims as it would be held during their holy month of Ramadan.