PETALING JAYA: With internationally-famous bands Green Day and Maroon 5 lined up this month, concert organisers are lending further support to the safety measures being considered by authorities.
The measures, including having plainclothes police personnel among concert-goers, follows the four drug-related deaths at the Pinkfish Countdown 2024 event last December.
But they called for greater engagement with industry players when it comes to the numbers of concert-goers allowed at venues.Livescape Group chief executive Iqbal Ameer said having an undercover police presence would be a positive step to ensure the continuity of live events while addressing rising challenges.
“It demonstrates a unified approach to addressing safety concerns and should help mitigate fears of event cancellations that organisers may have been facing recently,” he said.
Iqbal said the proposal to determine attendee numbers based on venue size should be approached carefully and involve close consultation with event organisers.
“Artiste fees typically constitute between 50% and 70% of the entire show cost. To cover these expenses and generate revenue, event organisers need to sell a significant number of tickets.
“A large attendance also allows for ancillary income, which is vital for the financial viability of these events,” he said.
He added that any decision on this should strike a balance between safety concerns and the economic feasibility of organising concerts.
He urged regulators to work closely with experienced event organisers to develop guidelines that ensure the safety and economic sustainability of the live entertainment industry.
Shiraz Projects executive producer Shirazdeen Karim also urged more engagements if there are plans to implement specific guidelines on determining audience numbers at concert venues.
“This ensures a win-win situation for all. Keeping the audience safe is our priority,” he said.
Shirazdeen said an undercover police presence would help in identifying any wrongdoing at shows and proposed that it be targeted at raves instead.
Raves featuring DJs and electronic dance music are dance parties held at public or private venues.
Arts, Live Festival and Events Association chairman Para Rajagopal said the group is actively engaging with the authorities on ways to ensure better safety for concert-goers.
“Drug-related problems are a bane to the industry and society. The police are responding to it accurately and we should engage more to ensure the proposals can be implemented smoothly,” he said.
When asked if the approach should be targeted at raves and DJ-based events, he said each event had its own unique risk profile.
“We support the authorities coming in and helping to facilitate the necessary processes,” he said, adding that a focus on safety will also mitigate any event cancellations.
Industries Unite co-founder Datuk David Gurupatham said the police’s proposals should be supported.
“Everybody agrees that the health and safety of the public is paramount. Concerts also play an important role in the local economy, especially the gig sector and tourism.
“What is important is that we learn from previous experiences and move forward,” he said, commending their authorities for their responses to previous mishaps at concerts.
“We also hope attendees at these events take matters seriously and comply with the law,” he added.
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