Law mulled to halt the scalpers

SEVERAL provisions of the law will be studied to prevent further instances of scalping, says the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry as well as the Communications and Digital Ministry.

Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said it will be a cross-ministry effort, adding that investigations will first be carried out on scalpers selling Coldplay tickets, with findings used to study what provisions were needed to prevent this.

“There are currently no laws for anti-scalping. In other countries like the United States and Australia, there are jurisdictions to handle this issue following scalping incidents there.

“We will study initiatives carried out there as well,” he said at a joint press conference in Parliament yesterday.

He added that a meeting with concert organisers Live Nation Malaysia in Parliament on Monday also found that etickets for the concert have yet to be released to buyers.

“For those who bought tickets online and have received them, please lodge a report with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry,” he said.

Fahmi said the organisers also stated that 71,000 tickets were put up for sale, with 26,000 buyers successfully making transactions.

“However, the organisers could not explain to the ministry whether the buyers were bots or not,” he said, adding that both ministries and the organisers will also be working together to identify scalpers.

Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said the ministry has since received 28 reports on scalpers reselling Coldplay tickets.“The reports however are general and state that the tickets are only being sold online, and are not lodged by victims themselves.

“Enforcement authorities will also be working with the concert organiser to identify accounts believed to be scalpers,” he said, adding that it will be investigated under the Consumer Protection Act 1999.

With all tickets for the concert sold out, scalpers are having a field day, with one offering tickets as high as RM43,000 each on an online marketplace.

The post later said the ticket was “locked” at RM55,200, but it has since been deleted.

The popular British band will be performing at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 22 as part of its Music Of The Spheres World Tour.

It is Coldplay’s first concert in Malaysia.