Star Planet denies claims of Chinese-only language and ticket scalping at G-Dragon KL concert
In a statement released by the company, its Chief Operating Officer Carmen Liew clarified that it is inaccurate to state that signage and announcements were predominantly in Chinese, noting that all international events use bilingual materials in both English and Chinese.
"For the G-Dragon concert in particular, live announcements were also made in Bahasa Malaysia and essential notices were likewise available in Bahasa Malaysia,' the organiser told Sinar Daily.
The company added that it has taken note of public feedback and will consider incorporating more Bahasa Malaysia in future events involving K-pop or local artists.
"That said, we've noted the feedback and will certainly consider incorporating even more Bahasa Malaysia for future K-pop or Malay artist events," she added.
The G-Dragon concert, part of the K-pop star's highly anticipated world tour, took place at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, on July 19 and 20.
Social media users had voiced frustration over the high number of attendees from mainland China and alleged that Malaysian fans were sidelined.
Another point of criticism involved ticket scalping, with fans accusing the organiser of insider ticket sales to buyers in China.
One viral post alleged that all VVIP, VIP and Cat 1 tickets were snapped up by agents and resold at inflated prices, while genuine fans were left with limited options or forced to buy at mark-ups.
Fans also raised concerns that the ticketing system lacked security, with no codes required during the fan club presale, making it vulnerable to bots.
Some users also claimed their tickets were cancelled over suspicious activity, while scalper tickets remained valid. Accusations were also made that tickets under the 'FAM' category were distributed through insider networks linked to the organiser.
Star Planet again has firmly denied the claims. They said the allegations of ticket scalping are entirely baseless and without any supporting evidence.
"We want to firmly reiterate that Star Planet had no involvement in any insider ticket sales for the G-Dragon tour.
"It is also important to note that all ticketing activities or actions for a world tour of this scale are conducted under close oversight and require coordination and approval from multiple parties, including the tour's official management," said Liew.
The company added that ticketing activities for international tours require oversight and approval from multiple parties, including the tour's official management, to ensure transparency and compliance with global standards.
Addressing one specific case that went viral, the company said a ticket was voided due to suspicious activity but reinstated after verification.
Star Planet acknowledged the global problem of scalping and said it is working with its ticketing partner to improve bot-filtering systems for future events.
"We fully understand the frustration and disappointment experienced by fans who were unable to secure tickets for this highly anticipated event.
"Scalping remains a widespread issue globally and presents an ongoing challenge for event organisers.
"To address this, we are in active discussions with our ticketing partner to explore and implement more advanced bot-filtering solutions aimed at minimising scalper activity and ensuring fairer access for genuine fans for upcoming shows," she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for 19 overseas activists, offers bounties for 15
HONG KONG: Hong Kong's national security police announced arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas, accusing them of subversion under a stringent national security law, marking the largest such tally yet. They are accused of organising or participating in the "Hong Kong Parliament", a group authorities in the Asian financial hub say aimed to subvert state power, under the law Beijing imposed in 2020 following months of pro-democracy protests in 2019. The activists are accused of having launched a referendum or run as candidates in the unofficial "Hong Kong Parliament" group, which authorities say aims at achieving self-determination and drafting a "Hong Kong constitution". Police, who said the organisation sought to overthrow the governments of China and Hong Kong by unlawful means, said they are still investigating and further arrests may follow. Among those named are businessman Elmer Yuen, commentator Victor Ho, and activists Johnny Fok and Tony Choi. Four of them are subject to previous arrest warrants, each carrying a bounty of HK$1 million US$127,000). Among the remaining 15, for each of whom police are offering a bounty of HK$200,000 (US$25,480), are those said to have organised or run in the election and sworn in as its councillors. None of the accused could be reached for comment. The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee of a high degree of autonomy, including freedom of speech, under a "one country, two systems" formula. Critics of the national security law say authorities are using it to stifle dissent. Chinese and Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said the law was vital to restore stability after the city was rocked for months by sometimes violent anti-government and anti-China protests in 2019. Police reiterated that national security offences were serious crimes with extraterritorial reach and urged the wanted individuals to return to Hong Kong and surrender. "If offenders voluntarily give up continuing to violate the crime, turn themselves in, truthfully confess their crimes, or provide key information that helps solve other cases, they may be eligible for reduced punishment," they said in a statement. Police also warned that aiding, abetting, or funding others to participate in the "Hong Kong Parliament" could be a criminal offence. - Reuters
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Actor Peter Lai, 75, searching for soul mate, estranged from son
HONG KONG: Veteran lyricist and actor Peter Lai, 75, recently opened up about his personal life in an interview with 8Days. The publication reported that Peter has a son from his previous marriage, which ended in 1992. He described his son as someone who "mooches off the elderly," revealing he had been helping him clear credit card debt amounting to hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars for about two years. Peter only managed to settle all his son's debts last month. He complained that his son ignores him and treats him "like a stranger." Peter confessed he is now looking for a soulmate for companionship, openly stating his intention to marry. "Lee Lung Kei can do it, why can't I?" he remarked, referring to veteran actor Lee Lung Kei, 73, whose 36-year-old Chinese fiancée made headlines last year after being arrested for overstaying in Hong Kong. When asked if he was concerned about his son's future after he passed away, Peter calmly replied: "Let him fend for himself. When I'm gone, he can live under the bridge; he's not going to die, he can apply for public housing! He'll survive." Peter is renowned for co-writing the lyrics to many popular Cantopop songs in the 1970s and 80s alongside Sam Hui. These tracks include Leslie Cheung's 'Monica' and Sam's 'Susie of Tsim Sha Tsui'. In the 1990s, Peter went on to star in numerous TVB dramas until his contract with the broadcaster concluded in 2012.
Herald Malaysia
2 hours ago
- Herald Malaysia
Archbishop Pérez, son of migrants, tells migrants: ‘You are not alone'
'You are not alone,' said Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia — the son of Cuban exiles — addressing migrants in a July 23 pastoral letter on immigration. A participant holds a sign during a Jan. 25, 2025, interfaith rally in support of immigrants at Love Park in downtown Philadelphia (OSV News photo/Gina Christian) Among the administration's efforts are terminating protected status for migrants from several conflict-wrought nations; fully or partly banning travel to the U.S. from several nations; ordering Immigration and Customs Enforcement to meet daily arrest quotas of 3,000; halting visa interviews for foreign students; attempting to end birthright citizenship; and deporting individuals without permanent legal status in the U.S. to third countries in defiance of court orders. Individuals With No Criminal Record While the administration claims to target criminal actors in its sweeps, several high-profile arrests and deportations have impacted individuals with no demonstrated criminal record. Some 71.5% (40,643) of the 56,813 held in ICE detention as of July 13 have no criminal conviction, other than entering the U.S. without permission, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. The TRAC team also noted that 'many of those convicted committed only minor offenses, including traffic violations. Following through on a campaign pledge, President Donald Trump has sought to purge the nation of what Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has called 'criminal' and 'illegal aliens.' Archbishop Pérez's letter — posted in both English and Spanish to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's media outlet — adds to a growing chorus from U.S. Catholic prelates who have expressed grave concerns over the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration to the U.S. Need Policy Blending 'Dignity, Mercy, Justice' The archbishop's reflection follows a Jan. 30 statement in which he called for 'serious and carefully thought out immigration policy reforms … that will blend dignity, mercy, and justice.' The archbishop assured migrants that 'the Church is a community of faith, and the divine person of Christ, who was forced to flee his homeland as a child, holds you in his compassionate arms.' Among those who have so far spoken out against the Trump administration's iron-fisted approach are Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. military archdiocese, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, who called for prayer and for restraint amid violent clashes in that city over immigration arrests; Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, whose archdiocese is home to large expatriate Haitian and Cuban communities and who recently led prayer outside the controversial Alligator Alcatraz migrant detention facility located in the Venice Diocese; and San Diego Bishop Michael M. Pham, who was born in Vietnam and fled to the U.S. as a 13-year-old refugee in 1980, along with his older sister and younger brother. 'Produced a Great Deal of Fear' 'Recent news reports detailing the arrest of immigrants throughout the country, including the Philadelphia region, have produced a great deal of fear and unleashed a broad range of other emotions. These events have impacted the migrant community in deeply troubling ways,' said Archbishop Pérez in his July 23 letter. 'I am witnessing your sorrow with great sadness and concern as are people of goodwill from all walks of life,' he said, adding, 'As the son of immigrants, I have found recent events particularly heartbreaking.' The 64-year-old archbishop said in a February 2020 Spanish-language interview with Telemundo 62, 'Yo digo que fui hecho en Cuba, pero desempaquetado en Miami' ('I was conceived in Cuba, but born (literally, 'unpacked') in Miami'). His parents, David and Emma Pérez, had fled Cuba, where in 1959 the dictatorship of President Fulgencio Batista fell to what would become the first communist regime in the Western hemisphere under Premier Fidel Castro. Shortly after their arrival in Miami, the Pérez family relocated to northern New Jersey, where the future archbishop, born in 1961, was raised. Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration In his July 23 letter, Archbishop Pérez highlighted Catholic social teaching on immigration, which seeks to balance three interrelated principles — the right of people to migrate in order to sustain their lives and those of their families, the right of a country to regulate its borders and control immigration, and a nation's duty to regulate its borders with justice and mercy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also instructs that 'the more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin' (Catechism, 2241). 'As Catholics, we believe our eternal homeland is heaven, and that as citizens of earth, the dignity of every person means everyone should have a safe place to live, with the opportunity to work for a just wage,' said Archbishop Pérez in his pastoral letter. 'Many of you came to the United States seeking new opportunities far away from oppressive regimes and endured difficult and dangerous circumstances to start life anew here.' 'Your Presence, Contributions Are a Blessing' He said, 'Your presence and your contributions to society through hard work and upright living are a blessing to our country and to our Church.' 'No one should be forced to live in fear of unjust persecution,' he said. 'I encourage you to remain close with the members of your parish communities and the priests who provide you with pastoral care,' said Archbishop Pérez. That exhortation comes as at least two U.S. dioceses have publicly addressed fears of immigration arrests at parishes. Bishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino, California, issued a July 8 dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation for those with a genuine fear of ICE raids. In May, the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, released a message, disseminated to diocesan parishes, reminding the faithful that according to the church's own teaching and canon law, they are not required to attend Sunday Mass if they fear for their well-being. Advocating for Protection of Life, Liberty 'We recognize that our country is rightly safeguarded by law enforcement officials. They uphold the common good by protecting all of us from human trafficking, the exploitation of children, and any other criminal offense against human dignity,' wrote Archbishop Pérez. 'At the same time, we strongly advocate for immigration policies that guarantee the protection of life, liberty, and property of all those who call the United States of America home, natural born citizens and those working toward citizenship alike.' Noting that 'there is no instant solution to the challenges pervading immigration policy,' he said, 'I urge everyone in parish communities to unite through prayer and social unity with the immigrant faithful under the leadership of parish pastors.' Archbishop Pérez concluded his letter with a prayer for migrants and for the nation as a whole. 'The Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph cared for the child Jesus in the mystery of the flight into Egypt and their intercession is with us today. I pray with you and for you that you experience the protection of God,' he said. 'May our Lord bless our country with peace and inspire comprehensive immigration reform that respects the law and provides meaningful opportunities for all those who wish to call the United States of America their home.'--OSV news
