Festival Cancellation Local Artistes Not Paid Minister

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Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil has highlighted that local artistes who were meant to perform in the recently cancelled Good Vibes Festival (GVF) 2023 have not been paid.
However, he said that MyCreative Ventures is working out solutions to assist the local acts as well as vendors impacted by the sudden cancellation of the festival.
“We have contacted the vendors and local acts. International acts have been paid but the local artistes have not.
“MyCreative Ventures have reached out on how to help the food vendors and local acts, and I would leave it to them to inform (us of) what help can be provided,” he told reporters in Shah Alam today.
MyCreative Ventures is a government investment arm that reports to the Communications and Digital Ministry with the objective of advancing the country’s creative industry through strategic and innovative investment.
Fahmi added that the government will review the overall standard operating procedures related to the approval of organising concerts in the country.
Yesterday, Fahmi ordered the immediate cancellation of the remaining two days of GVF 2023 at the Sepang International Circuit.
The 1975He made a decision after meeting with the festival organiser regarding The 1975’s frontman Matt Healy's onstage “stunt” on Friday - performing while holding what is believed to be a bottle of alcohol, before kissing the male guitarist.
"I would like to stress that the government's stand is clear.
"There will be no compromise on any parties who challenge, mock, and defy Malaysia's laws," Fahmi tweeted.
The PKR information chief said he had urged the concert organisers to identify a mechanism to compensate ticket holders.
GVF 2023 organisers Future Sound Asia later apologised to its ticket holders, vendors, sponsors, and partners, and assured them that it will provide updates on refunds.
The abrupt cancellation of the festival left a total of 28 food vendors suffering huge losses.
‘Abject and rude’
Meanwhile, Fahmi told Berita Harian that the decision to cancel the music festival was not due to the upcoming state elections.
He stressed that the decision was due to Healy's "abject and rude" behaviour.
"The ministry has also lodged a police report against the vocalist and festival organisers for their negligence and failure to comply with Puspal’s regulations," he was quoted as saying.
Fahmi's special officer Chermaine Thoo previously said that Puspal, the central committee for the application for filming and performance by foreign artistes, had rejected the 1975's application on June 22.
"(GVF) organiser appealed on July 13, vouched for The 1975 in writing that the band will not act out and will take full responsibility should there be any non-compliance with the rules.
"Then guess what? They did act out," she tweeted. - Mkini

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