A Malaysian lawmaker said Malaysia’s inability to secure Coldplay for more than a night was an economic loss, after concert organisers confirmed tickets for all six shows of the British band in Singapore early next year were sold out.
The episode has also sparked a debate among concert lovers in Malaysia, with many admitting that the nation is no longer the preferred destination for big names, mainly due to “restrictions and red-tapes”.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, on Twitter this afternoon, said Malaysia missed an “economic lottery” following Singapore’s six shows on Jan 23, 24, 26, 27, 30 and 31.
The band’s Southeast Asian tour starts in Jakarta on Nov 15, followed by Kuala Lumpur on Nov 22. The band will perform in the Philippines on Jan 19 and 20, 2024, before flying to Singapore.
In explaining the economic loss, Syed Saddiq said that the venue – the Singapore National Stadium – could fit 50,000 people and that the average ticket is RM600, equalling RM30 million per show.
“Six days? The total collection will reach RM180 million or more,” said the former youth and sports minister.
He added that there would be those travelling from other nations, and if even 1,000 people from each show were foreign visitors, the airlines could collect more than RM2.1 million in airfares and that these visitors could spend RM3 million while in Singapore.
“My point is, while we’re over here arguing over Malaysia hosting concerts, countries out there are grabbing golden chances to generate an economic surplus,” he said.
“In the past, we had an average of 40 to 50 concerts annually. Today? There are hurdles and disgruntlement. Malaysia cannot continue to miss out on this opportunity,” he added.
In July last year, Tourism Malaysia’s senior director (strategic planning division), Syed Yahya Syed Othman, told Twentytwo13 that Malaysia should look at the entertainment industry as a major revenue generator and a tool to market the country as a tourist destination.
“They (the concerts) can bring in fast income. We’ve been getting a lot of enquiries about concerts and live shows to be held in Malaysia. We have domestic acts, regional acts, and even international stars wanting to perform here,” he was quoted as saying then.
Several groups have also been consistent against Malaysia hosting, especially certain genres. Pas central working committee member Nasrudin Hassan, last month, urged the government to cancel Coldplay’s show because Chris Martin was pictured holding Pride flags in the past.
Malaysia’s Arts, Live Festivals and Events Association, earlier this year, said that extremist views and calls to ban international events damage the country, as “news like this will be picked up all over the world, and will give the wrong impression of Malaysia”.
