MARCH 12 ― I refer to the letters “Questions over FMFA ruling”, “Permit denial shows challenge of hosting clean FMFA” (March 10) and “Police should have let music festival go on” (March 9, online).

As chairman of the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA), I believe the Government’s decision to reject the permit application for the Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA) this year was made after due consideration.

The applicant organised the FMFA last year in Malaysia, where several cases of drug overdoses and deaths occurred. It is deplorable of the organiser to sell tickets after the successive rejection of two applications.

It would be remiss of the Government to expose our youth unnecessarily to the underground drug culture promoted by some international visitors and traffickers.

The Future Music Festival (FMF) has a record of drug abuse incidents. Several arrests were made at the FMF held recently in Melbourne and Sydney. The police intercepted a stash of drugs that would have harmed more than 7,000 people at the Brisbane edition.

In Singapore, we are seeing younger offenders. The NCADA’s Youth Perception Survey shows a potential weakening of attitudes towards drugs. Many innocent youth fall prey to drugs because of peer pressure, especially at events targeted by traffickers.

Last year, a Singaporean died from suspected overdose at the A State of Trance 650 New Horizons music festival in Jakarta.

Let us not be naive and think that our better domestic drug situation is a reason to host such drug-prone events. Our constant vigilance and hard choices have given us this relatively better situation.

Ironically, it makes us a more desired drug market. There is a proactive, international drug lobby, and overseas experience proves drug abuse is influenced heavily by pop culture.

With e-commerce as a new way of trafficking drugs, we are under constant threat. As a parent, I am heartened by the authorities’ proactive stance to safeguard our youth from drug exposure.

In keeping a close eye on current music festivals and other events, I am sure the authorities will continue to vet licence applications carefully, including from international organisers.

There are many music events here and many ways to enjoy music without exposing our young people to the risks that drugs involve. We want a drug-free society for our children.

I hope that fellow Singaporeans support our anti-drug stance to protect our children. We only have to look at how the profit-driven evil of drug abuse has destroyed lives and families overseas and locally.

We must cherish what we have at home. It was not easy to come by. ― Today

*Victor Lye is the Chairman of the National Council Against Drug Abuse.

** This is the view of the individual or organisation and is not necessarily the opinion of Malay Mail Online.