Malaysia to meet Coldplay concert organiser over ticket scalpers

MALAYSIAN authorities will meet the organiser of a Coldplay concert after complaints from fans who couldn’t get tickets for the British rock band’s performance because scalpers have bought them in bulk for resale.

The meeting will focus on measures that can be taken by the organiser to ensure the issue doesn’t reoccur, Bernama reported, citing Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil. The ministry will also examine legal provisions in case it needs to take action, Fahmi said, according to the report.

Tickets for Coldplay’s Nov 22 concert were snapped up within hours after sales began on Wednesday (May 17), local media reported. Fans took to social media to vent their frustration, with many urging people to stop buying from scalpers, who purchase tickets in large quantities and resell them at a higher price.

Prices skyrocketed after bookings opened, with the cheapest ticket – originally priced at 228 ringgit (S$68) – being sold for almost eight times more on event marketplace Viagogo, The Star newspaper reported. Official prices for the event ranged from 228 ringgit to 3,000 ringgit.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Fahmi described the ticket resale prices as “outrageous” and said he would discuss the issue of scalpers with Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub. BLOOMBERG