Kelantan seizes RM8,000 deposit after Makar Fest XL violates guidelines

 

State exco Hilmi Abdullah says the organisers of the event may also face a fine of up to RM30,000 and possible blacklisting.

Screenshots from a viral video showing attendees dancing and jumping during a stage performance at Makar Fest XL in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, on Saturday.

PETALING JAYA:

 The Kelantan government has seized a RM8,000 security deposit from the organiser of Makar Fest XL for violating licence conditions and state entertainment guidelines during the event in Kota Bharu last Saturday.

State local government, housing, health and environment executive councillor Hilmi Abdullah said the organiser would also face a penalty of up to RM30,000 and possible blacklisting if it failed to pay the compound.

This comes after a 40-second video made the rounds online showing a group of attendees dancing and jumping during a stage performance at the event, which was held at a shopping mall car park in Kota Bharu.

According to Hilmi, the food and sales festival, held from Jan 29 to Jan 31, had received entertainment approval from the Kota Bharu municipal council under the Kelantan Entertainment and Entertainment Venues Control Enactment 2025.

He said the violations were detected through enforcement monitoring, official reports, and a video that went viral on social media.

“Throughout the event, all invited artistes complied with the enactment and guidelines. However, violations occurred during the closing concert at around 10.30pm involving a performance by the band Masdo,” he said in a statement.

Hilmi said enforcement officers removed several spectators who were provoking others and breaching the guidelines, but the situation could not be fully brought under control, and the offences continued.

He also said the organiser was found to have been negligent for failing to stop the performance to regain control of the crowd, and for allowing uncontrolled mixing of men and women without adequate security, as required under the licence conditions.

“The licensing officer found that the organiser committed offences under Section 13(1) of the Kelantan Entertainment and Entertainment Venues Control Enactment 2025 and failed to comply with licence conditions,” he said.

Hilmi added that while the state government understood the public’s need for entertainment and supported food festivals that generated income for small traders and promoted Kelantan as a tourism destination under the “Food, Family, Festival” theme, compliance with rules remained non-negotiable.

“Any future events must comply with the rules and guidelines that have been set,” he said. - FMT