Super Showcase Canceled

Unrest in Malaysia has harpooned another major international music event.

Promoter Marctensia and Universal Music Malaysia postponed Asia Super Showcase 2013 two days before the event, “after much deliberation from the organizers as well as their international partners.” The event was scheduled for May 12 at Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.  

Though the statement did not specify the reason, it mentioned that the decision to postpone was made “in light of recent developments in Malaysia” in order to “ensure that the well-being of the general public is well taken care of.”

Almost all the international acts slated for the event were K-pop artists, including SHINHWA and Girls’ Generation.
Commentators on social media sites say that recent elections in Malaysia attracted protests, though there doesn’t seem to be any consensus regarding the violence of the demonstrations.

Some have said that the police may have put pressure on the event organizers because they couldn’t guarantee safety in the wake of the demonstrations, but some also think foreign media are exaggerating the dangers and that the poor ticket sales is the real culprit.