Hannah Yeoh wants KL to compete with Singapore as regional concert hub

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — Kuala Lumpur should compete with Singapore for major international concerts rather than have Malaysian fans cross the border to watch their favourite acts, Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh said, according to The Straits Times (ST).

“I want to compete with Singapore. Why should my people in Kuala Lumpur go to Singapore to watch concerts and not here? For me, I need to review my standard operating procedures. It’s not rocket science,” she told ST in a recent interview.

The comments come as Malaysia seeks to position Kuala Lumpur as a bigger player in Southeast Asia’s live entertainment market, with the government lowering regulatory and cost barriers for international acts.

According to ST, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in May reduced security deposits for foreign performers from RM30,000 to RM15,000, while deposits for local stage or cultural performances were cut from RM10,000 to RM4,000.