KOTA BARU: Kelantan’s Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Control Enactment 2024, which comes into force on Jan 1, will impose stricter regulations and higher penalties on entertainment activities in the state.
According to state local government, housing, health and environment committee chairman Hilmi Abdullah, the enactment Bill was approved by the state legislative assembly in November.
He reminded individuals or companies intending to organise entertainment events to submit their applications at least a month in advance to facilitate the review process and avoid violating regulations.
“This new enactment is in line with the state authorities’ desire to change the entertainment licensing officer role from the district officer to the president of the local authority,” he told Bernama yesterday.
Under the new enactment, all offence and compound fine rates have been raised to a maximum of RM50,000, five years’ imprisonment or both.
The entertainment security deposit rate has been raised to a maximum of RM20,000, while offences involving prohibitions or elements of prohibition may be fined up to RM30,000 or result in imprisonment not exceeding three years.
The general penalty for offences has also been increased from RM2,000 to RM5,000, imprisonment or both, while the enactment guidelines also address offences related to the use of electronic devices.
Recently, a mining company which had a dancer performing provocatively during a staff dinner in Kelantan was fined RM10,000 by the local authorities.
The company reportedly paid the fine to the Tanah Merah District Council.
It also reportedly sent an apology letter to the state government and local authorities for violating Section 6 of the Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Control Enactment 1998.
