KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Seri Serdang assemblyman Noor Hanim Ismail had submitted an objection letter on the day before the “Thirst 2015: We Are All Stardust” concert, which led to its eleventh-hour cancellation last Saturday.
The PAS representative had admitted being the person behind an official complaint letter, saying it was her responsibility as a Muslim to oppose the concert, which is sponsored by beer company Heineken.
“It was the local authority’s decision. It is my responsibility as a Muslim and assemblyman to oppose it,” she was reported as saying by online news portal The Malaysian Insider.
According to the report, Noor Hanim had, in her letter dated April 24, expressed concern over the concert’s organisers, who had organised last year’s Future Music festival Asia which had led to six deaths from drug overdose.
Describing Thirst 2015 as a “mega disco”, she said it was the same organisers who tended to use different company names to apply for permits.
The Serdang police’s withdrawal of support for the “Thirst: We are all Stardust” 2015 concert that was scheduled to be held at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre last Saturday was due to objections from the public and Selangor lawmakers.
In a statement, the police said that they originally had no problems with the application for the temporary entertainment permit for the concert but changed their mind later on after objections and feedback on April 23 from society, as well as the office of the state assemblyman.
Meanwhile, Serdang MP Dr Ong Kian Ming said that Noor Hanim was wrong to object to the concert venue which was not even in her constituency.
He said that Noor Hanim should have brought her concerns up with him and Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, as the venue was located within his constituency.
He said her objections, without checking the facts about the concert’s conditions, has also painted a negative image of the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor government.
“If Seri Serdang wanted to make objections, at the very least her office should have informed Seri Kembangan, who is also the Selangor exco for local government,” said Ong in a separate TMI report.
According to him, the concert had been approved by the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) and officers from these agencies would have been on duty during the concert to ensure that no substance abuse or other illicit activities were committed.
