Only ‘suspicious’ concertgoers will face urine tests, industry players told

 

The four who died at the Pinkfish New Year’s Eve event at Sunway Lagoon were believed to have taken ecstasy. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

The Selangor government has urged industry players not to worry as the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for concerts will remain the same.

This comes after local government and tourism committee chairman Ng Suee Lim said two days ago that the state government was considering urine tests for concertgoers, following the death of four revellers at the Pinkfish New Year’s Eve countdown event.

He clarified today that the state government was only proposing for urine tests to be conducted on “suspicious” concertgoers.

Ng Suee Lim.

“Industry players need not worry. The SOPs for entering a concert remain as usual,” Ng said in a statement today, while stressing that monitoring needed to be enhanced to prevent a repeat of the deaths.

“The authorities, with the police’s assistance, should have the right to take necessary action against people carrying forbidden items or drugs,” he said.

Ng said the state government was open to feedback and views from relevant stakeholders to ensure that the interests of all parties were represented.

The four who died at the event at Sunway Lagoon on Dec 31 were suspected to have taken ecstasy, although investigators are still waiting for the toxicology analysis report for confirmation.

The incident prompted the police to suspend concert permits in the state effective Jan 3.

Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan was reported as saying organisers needed to assure the authorities they could prevent drugs from being smuggled into concert venues.

“If this requirement cannot be adhered to, we will not allow the concert to go on,” he said. - FMT