JOHOR BAHRU: Malaysia is eyeing a clampdown on concert ticket scalping – and may even introduce new laws – in the wake of an outcry from My Chemical Romance fans who failed to secure spots for the American rock band’s hotly anticipated Kuala Lumpur show next year.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said on Sunday (Aug 10) that her ministry is holding discussions with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) to review the issue, including the possibility of tabling a Bill, local media reported.
“The Communications Ministry has also engaged with event organisers and ticketing companies to find the most suitable solution to this issue,” she said at an event in Johor, as quoted by national news agency Bernama.
According to local news outlet Malay Mail, all 60,000 tickets for the Apr 30 concert at Bukit Jalil National Stadium were snapped up within four hours after going on sale on Jul 11. They quickly appeared online for resale at inflated prices.
In one case, a Zone C category ticket originally priced at RM499 (US$118) was offered for RM6,000, about 12 times its face value, local news site Free Malaysia Today reported.
Frustrated fans went online to air their grievances and call for measures to ensure fairness and transparency in ticket sales. Some suggested that purchases be tied to the buyer’s valid identity card number.
Following the sell-out, organisers announced a second show on May 1, 2026. All 60,000 tickets for that date were also snapped up.
Malay Mail reported that the Aug 1 ticket sale for the second show went more smoothly than the first round in July, which was marred by website crashes and scalpers.
Several netizens had also complimented the organiser and ticketing platform for the “seamless” ticket purchasing experience.
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