By Fitri Hazim Hazam
KUALA LANGAT, Jan 6 — The Selangor government is considering tighter guidelines for concerts to prioritise attendees’ safety, said state executive councillor for local government and tourism Dato’ Ng Suee Lim.
Ng said the focus would be on implementing measures with police and local authorities to prevent incidents similar to the recent New Year’s Eve celebration in Petaling Jaya, which saw the death of four concertgoers.
“The state lowered the entertainment duty to boost the Visit Selangor Year 2025 campaign, so stricter guidelines will be introduced, involving police and local councils, to avoid concert-related fatalities.
“One proposed condition for obtaining permits is for organisers subject attendees to urine screening,” he told reporters after officiating a programme at the Amverton Cove Golf and Island Resort here today.
Ng said this will be discussed during the upcoming state executive council meeting on Wednesday.
He acknowledged the financial impact of temporarily suspending permits for concert organisers due to safety concerns.
“The police-imposed postponements for safety reasons have affected organisers, who have already invested significant (sums). After improving the guidelines, concerts may resume.
“If necessary, the state will hold discussions with local councils and police to identify the causes of such incidents and enhance existing guidelines,” he said.
Previous media reports showed police were investigating the deaths of four people, aged between 20 and 40, who died after attending a New Year’s Eve concert in Petaling Jaya.
