Future Music OD’s Force Cancellation

One of the concertgoers died on the festival grounds, while another died on the way to the hospital.

The remaining four died in hospitals. All were Malaysian and between the ages of 19 and 28.

The drug involved was believed to be “a new type of methamphetamine,” according to police, who said they had never seen this particular drug in Malaysia before and assumed it has been smuggled into the country.

Over the weekend, other media reported between three and fourteen concertgoers had been hospitalized.

Some were apparently discharged before the weekend was over and the rest were said to be in stable condition.

Nine of the people hospitalized were from Singapore. The New Straits Times also reported that during the festival, 19 people, 12 of whom were foreigners, were arrested for “drug abuse” at the festival.

At first, there was some confusion as to the number of deaths. Officials of the organizers, Livescape Asia and Future Music, initially released a statement saying that only one person had died, though they may have been referring only to the person who died on the festival site.

Later they simply pluralized the matter and said they regretted “the loss of lives.”

The home minister laid the blame on the organizers who “must ensure concertgoers do not bring drugs or alcohol to the show.”

Consequently, permits for future concerts will be scrutinized more closely.

Already opposition parties are using the drug deaths against the current government of Selangor state, where they took place, even though it was the federal government who approved the concert.

Future Music is considered the biggest pop festival in Southeast Asia.

Among the acts that had to cancel their Future Music festival slots were Pharrell Williams, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Rudimental and Knife Party.

Ticketholders have been offered refunds.