PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Artistes Association has called for more proactive measures on drug abuse at concert venues.
Association president Datuk Freddie Fernandez has called on relevant agencies such as the National Anti-Drug Agency to collaborate more actively with organisers on measures that could be taken.
"Among others there should be exhibition booths or conducting awareness campaigns at concert venues," said Fernandez, who also proposed adopting a motto like 'music without drugs' as a mandatory tagline on concert promotional materials like posters and billboards to remind attendees of the need to refrain from drugs.
Fernandez was responding to the tragic incident involving the death of four attendees of the 2025 New Year's Eve Pinkfish concert here.
"Concert goers should exercise better judgement as entertainment should be fully enjoyed through music, without any illicit elements such as drugs," said Fernandez in a statement on Saturday (Jan 4).
He said concert goers are like lab rats for irresponsible parties who want to test their new substances. Even though hundreds of police personnel are on duty to detect the emergence of various forms of synthetic drugs, detection is still challenging.
"In 2014, a similar tragedy occured at the EDM music festival, which claimed six lives, after which several new policies were implemented, including the stipulation that such concerts should only be held in enclosed venues for better control," he said.
Fernandez also asserted that no particular music genre should be blamed for the deaths, as what makes it wrong is the abuse of drugs by certain individuals.
