Yeoh: Sepang Circuit first to apply new concert, festival guidelines

The Sepang International Circuit (SIC) will be the first to fully implement new guidelines to ensure concerts are safer and more ethical, especially for electronic dance music (EDM).

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the Guidelines for the Organisation of Concerts and Festivals, prepared by her ministry, came into effect on April 21.

“This effort proves the serious commitment of the Youth and Sports Ministry in ensuring that entertainment and youth activities are organised in a healthier, safer, and more responsible environment.

“The ministry is determined to build an entertainment culture that celebrates healthy living, in line with the values of Malaysia Madani,” she said at a press conference in Sepang, Selangor, today.

Yeoh said the guidelines include measures to prevent drug abuse, controlled management of alcoholic beverages, hydration points and chill-out zones, and medical preparedness.

She said the SIC will also implement additional guidelines, including requiring performing artists to deliver health messages every hour as well as promotional materials on safety, drug dangers, and emergency measures to be displayed throughout the event.

Asked if the guidelines applied to concerts held at private facilities, Yeoh said she believed the police would adopt the same guidelines.

“These guidelines were developed together with the police, and for EDM concerts organised in private areas, they still require police permission and feedback, so I am confident that the police will consistently use the same guidelines for them.

“The purpose of holding these guidelines is not to inconvenience all parties but to ensure that concerts can be carried out in an orderly manner, and at the same time, if anything happens, health experts, through these guidelines, are ready to help those involved,” she said.

Medical personnel to visitor ratio

Meanwhile, SIC CEO Azhan Shafriman Hanif said apart from complying with the guidelines provided by the ministry, the SIC also introduced several additional safety measures.

They include ensuring that the number of paramedics, ambulances, treatment facilities, and rest areas is sufficient based on the number of visitors.

“Medical personnel, the ratio of doctors, ambulances, and roving paramedics based on the size of the crowds, including one doctor for every 10,000 visitors, an ambulance for every 2,000 visitors, and one roving paramedic for every 500 visitors.

“Organisers are also required to set up a medical bay for minor treatment onsite, and for events with more than 3,000 attendees, a minimum of two treatment areas with holding beds must be provided to cater to those needing further care,” he said.

- Bernama

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