The Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) might be sued for cancelling the Thirst 2015 concert at the last minute due to the actions of Sri Serdang state assemblyperson Noor Hanim Ismail.

In an open letter to Noor Hanim today, Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming said MPSJ was forced to cancel the concert after the police withdrew support for the event following her objections to the concert.

Ong argued that Noor Hanim, whose constituency does not cover the venue, appeared to have lodged a complaint with the police based on misinformation and ignorance over the measures taken by MPSJ to prevent untoward incidents from happening.

"Thus there is a possibility that the concern organiser will take legal action against MPSJ for withdrawing an entertainment permit at the last minute.

"If MPSJ needs to compensate them due to a court order, it will waste public funds that should be used for the MPSJ rate payers," he said.

According to industry sources, about RM5 million was spent on organising this event.

Minors and Muslims

MPSJ, according to Ong, had imposed 26 stringent regulations on concert organisers, which prevented minors and Muslims from attending.

Ong also argued that Noor Hanim's written objection to the concern had also contained factual mistakes, such as claiming that the concert organiser was responsible for a concert last year where six individuals died from drug overdose .

"They were not all Malay (as claimed by Noor Hanim). Victims includes Chinese and Indians. And the concert organisers are not the same," he said.

Ong added that the organisers for Thirst 2015 were not "blacklisted" by the Sepang Municipal Council as claimed by Noor Hanim.

The company was given advance noticed to cancel a concert at the Sepang International Circuit last year following a disaster at the Future Music Festival at Bukit Jalil which claimed six lives.

No courtesy

Moreover, Ong argued that Noor Hanim did not show courtesy by forwarding her complaint to the menteri besar's office and MPSJ, without forwarding the same complaint to the exco in charge of tourism and the exco in charge of local governments.

Incidentally, the exco in charge of local government is also the Seri Kembangan state assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah. The venue for Thirst 2015 falls under his constituency.

Ong said he understood Noor Hanim's concerns over drug use in concerts, but stressed that it would be better to improve the relevant laws than to call for an outright ban.

"Hooliganism happens in football matches but no one asks for football matches to be banned," wrote Ong.