Future Music Festival Asia in doubt as police cite drug concerns

SINGAPORE — Whether some of the biggest names in electronic dance music will take the stage in Singapore next weekend is up in the air, after the police twice rejected applications from organisers of Future Music Festival Asia to hold the event here.

Livescape Singapore, which has sold about 15,000 of the 20,000 tickets available for the two-day festival, submitted applications for a public entertainment licence to the police in January and last month, but were rejected both times, with the police citing “serious concerns” over potential drug abuse at the event.

The festival’s three-year run in Kuala Lumpur was marred by drug problems — concert organisers had to pull the plug on the third day of the event last year after six Malaysians died of drug overdose and another 16 people were hospitalised for drug-related reasons.

Several Singaporeans were also hospitalised after a suspected drug overdose, while two were later charged for drug offences in Kuala Lumpur.

The police said it received Livescape’s application for a permit on Jan 12 and rejected it on Jan 29. The second application was received on Feb 16 and was rejected on Feb 27.

Following this, Livescape submitted an appeal to Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean on March 3.

Mr Samuel Seow, a lawyer acting on behalf of Livescape Singapore, said yesterday that the organisers expect a response by Friday.

Future Music Festival Asia, which has drawn big-name partners like Citibank, Evian and William Grant & Sons — owner of brands like Glenfiddich and Hendrick’s Gin — is set to be held on Mar 13 and 14 at Changi Exhibition Centre. Headliners include Avicii, The Prodigy, Fat Boy Slim, and Afrojack, who on Tuesday had still given the Singapore event a shout-out on his Facebook page.

Livescape co-founder Iqbal Ameer said contingency plans are in place if the appeal is turned down. This includes hosting various performers in various venues across the island. Refunds will be given to ticket-holders who want one, said Mr Iqbal, adding that the company will incur “huge losses” as a result. Livespace has budgeted S$5 million dollars for the event and about half of that has been spent so far, he said.

Sales manager Lee Ruiqi, 27, who bought tickets in January, was surprised the organisers had marketed and sold tickets even though they had not secured the permit to hold the festival.

“They’re still updating their Facebook page (last night) and announcing concert arrangements..it’s too sudden, people fly in for these things,” said Ms Lee, who paid S$208 for a weekend pass. “How could they booked a venue and promote the festival, and get sponsors, without securing something like this?”

Ms Alicia Thong, 30, who works in the public relations industry, added: “I don’t know if it’s typical (for event organisers) to do this, but (the permits) should have been sorted out before they started selling tickets.”

Asked why Livescape continued to promote the event and sell tickets even though it had not been given the go-head, Mr Seow said organisers had not expected to be turned down as the event had the support of government agencies. “There was a level of confidence on the part of the client that this show was going to go on. They never thought for real that it would truly be rejected.”

Announcing the move of the festival to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur in November, Mr Iqbal had said moving across the Causeway would provide “a safe and fun environment for our guests”, and the plan was to stay in Singapore for the long term.

Yesterday, he said Livescape has increased security and safety measures at the event, including reduced crowd size and higher security personnel to participant ratio. For example, 33 closed-circuit television cameras will be installed at the Singapore event this year, compared to six in Kuala Lumpur last year. There will also be one security personnel for every hundred people, compared to one to 125 last year.

Mr Seow argued that it is “rather unreasonable” to associate drug use with a particular event. Noting Singapore is well-known for its anti-drug stance, Mr Seow said: “We don’t believe just because something has happened in Malaysia, it will definitely happened here. The new security measures were tighter than anything.”