Not feasible: Industry players say the urine screening is ineffective and time-consuming, adding it would only burden concert organisers and attendees. — NG KOK LEONG/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The Selangor government’s proposal for urine screening for concert-goers to prevent drug use at shows held in the state is impractical, say concert organisers and attendees.
The executive producer of Shiraz Projects, Shirazdeen Abdul Karim, said the suggestion is unrealistic, as it would be impossible to screen thousands of people without taking too much time.
Shirazdeen, who has hosted global acts like Canadian band Simple Plan and British singer Bruno Major, proposed addressing the root source of drugs with targeted solutions.
“It’s better for authorities to address the main issue, which is how the drugs got into the country,” he said.
He also suggested stricter measures at rave shows, where drug use is more prevalent, rather than imposing a blanket rule for all concerts in Selangor.
“Drug use mostly persists in DJ shows, so more stringent procedures can be applied there,” he said.
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As for scanning machines, he said they are feasible for general security measures but he doubted they are effective in detecting drugs, as many substances are easily hidden.
“Most of these people take the drugs outside because they know the risk of bringing it into the venue,” he said.
On Monday, Selangor local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim said the state might require concert-goers to go through urine tests as part of the standard operating procedure (SOP) to prevent drug use.
Other suggestions being discussed include having scanning equipment to prevent prohibited materials from being brought into the venue.
This came about after four people died, suspected of consuming ecstasy, after attending a New Year’s Eve countdown concert in Selangor.
Livescape Group chief executive officer Iqbal Ameer said the urine test is unrealistic, adding it would only burden concert organisers and attendees.
“Who’s going to bear the cost of these screenings? Is it the police or the organisers?
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“I think the current security checks at concerts are sufficient; in fact, they are already causing long wait times for attendees. Adding more layers isn’t going to solve the drug issue,” he said.
Iqbal suggested alternatives such as drug education and penalties, higher security presence, random urine tests, and access to hydration stations to ensure the safety of concert-goers.
“These measures are already implemented in many places around the world and are proven to be effective without causing major disruptions,” he said.
He suggested that the authorities tighten border controls and address how drugs are entering the country.
“If we had tighter border controls, the rakyat wouldn’t have to deal with such invasive measures,” he said.
Livescape Group previously hosted the Rockaway Festival, Malaysia’s largest rock event.
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Meanwhile, rave enthusiast Catherine Wong argued that urine screening is too time-consuming and would deter people from attending future concerts.She believed this SOP would be detrimental to the organisers, as it would require additional spending on manpower and equipment.
“We already need to queue early before a concert. How much earlier do we need to arrive for screening and how quickly can we get our results?”
“There will also be long queues in the toilets,” said Wong, 28, who is an accountant.
Graphic designer Samuel Pang shared a similar sentiment, saying that it would be more efficient to target drug distributors rather than inconvenience concert-goers.
“It’s unfair for us to undergo such tedious and impractical procedures because of the actions of a few reckless individuals,” said Pang, 24.
