SINGAPORE, March 7 — Music lovers hoping for a reprieve from the authorities to allow Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA) to go on as planned had their hopes dashed yesterday, after the Home Affairs Ministry dismissed the appeal from organisers of the two-day event.

The news was greeted with an outcry of disappointment from ticket holders, some of whom expressed disappointment over the organisers’ handling of the event.

Livescape Singapore, which sold 15,000 of the 20,000 tickets available before it had secured its permit to hold the event, filed an appeal to Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean on Tuesday, after the police twice rejected applications to hold the festival here.

“The Minister for Home Affairs (MHA) has carefully considered and turned down the appeal by Livescape Singapore to hold the FMFA 2015 in Singapore,” said an MHA spokesperson, adding that the decision is final.

The ministry said it informed Livescape of the decision yesterday.

However, Mr Iqbal Ameer, group chief executive of The Livescape Group, said last night his team had not received the news. “The core team and I are regrouping as we speak to prepare for the contingency plan … We are also in the midst of verifying the information as we have not received any official communication from the ministry,” he said.

In response to media queries, a ministry spokesperson said: “We confirm that we have conveyed the rejection letter via fax and email today.”

Livescape submitted applications for a public entertainment licence to the police in January and again last month, but were rejected both times. The police cited serious concerns over potential drug abuse at the event.

The show, slated to be held here for the first time on March 13 and 14 at the Changi Exhibition Centre, had drawn big-name partners such as Citibank, Evian and William Grant & Sons — owner of brands such as Glenfiddich and Hendrick’s Gin. The festival’s headliners included Avicii, The Prodigy, Fat Boy Slim and Afrojack.

Past renditions in other countries have been marred by drug problems. Yesterday, the Brisbane Times reported that the police had seized 7500 ecstasy pills believed to be bound for the festival to be held in the Australian city this weekend. At the Sydney festival last week, 60 revellers were found with illicit drugs, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.

Last year, organisers of the Kuala Lumpur festival had to pull the plug on the third day of the event after six Malaysians died of a drug overdose and another 16 people were hospitalised for drug-related reasons. Several Singaporeans were also hospitalised after a suspected drug overdose.

Operations manager Isabelle Lim, who is based in Malaysia, was disappointed that the organisers had not done their due diligence. “I feel that it is very irresponsible of them, especially after what happened in Kuala Lumpur last year. This event involves a large number of stakeholders,” said the 24-year-old, who had booked air tickets to fly here next week.

“I was turned away at the door on the third day of last year’s (Kuala Lumpur) show and have not received any refund,” she added.

Regional accounts manager Linn Lee, 29, said the organisers should have been more transparent and not gone ahead to publicise the show without securing the permit.

“They really overpromised but underdelivered. If you have been denied (a permit) before, you should know better and have a contingency plan,” she said, noting that they were still pushing for sales via Facebook yesterday in the midst of the appeal. — TODAY