Selangor Police Halt Concert Permits After Tragic Deaths at Pinkfish Event – A Wake-Up Call for Safety

Source: SAYS

Following the tragic deaths of four attendees at the recent Pinkfish New Year’s Eve countdown event, Selangor police have taken a bold step: temporarily suspending the approval of concert permits in the state. The move comes after the victims were believed to have consumed ecstasy at the event, raising serious concerns over the safety and management of large-scale concerts.

Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed that the suspension would remain in place until the completion of investigations, and event organisers can demonstrate that they have implemented effective measures to prevent drug-related incidents. “In the future, for any concert, organisers must ensure that they can prevent the entry of drugs at the event,” Hussein stated during a press conference on 3 January.

The incident, which saw more than 14,000 people attending the Pinkfish concert, was marred by overcrowding. The venue’s capacity was exceeded, leading to severe crowding and breathing difficulties for attendees, worsened by drug and alcohol consumption. Hussein stressed that the failure of the organisers to manage these risks properly contributed to the fatalities.

He also warned that future concert permits would only be issued to organisers who meet stringent safety criteria, which include crowd control, eliminating drugs from the venue, and ensuring proper ventilation. This has raised the bar for organisers who will now be required to provide guarantees to the police regarding drug prevention at their events.Selangor’s Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneurship Committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi supported the move, highlighting the state government’s shared goal of preventing similar tragedies in the future. It’s clear that the authorities are putting their foot down, and the question now is: will organisers rise to the challenge?