KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 7 -- What began as a celebration of unity and music has quickly turned into a PR nightmare for one of Indonesia's biggest festivals, Pestapora 2025.

The three-day festival, held at the Jakarta International Expo from September 5-7, initially boasted a star-studded lineup of over 200 acts, including Malaysia's own Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, set to perform on the final day.

But by the morning of September 6, at least 20 performers had withdrawn, posting announcements on social media. Their reason: a protest against PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), a major mining company and one of Pestapora's sponsors.

Festival director Kiki Ucup apologised publicly and confirmed that Pestapora had severed all ties with PTFI as of Septem...