Concert organiser MND Sports & Event Sdn. Bhd has been facing a lot of negative attention lately. Last month, fans called the organiser out over delayed refunds following the cancellation of SHINee (샤이니) leader Onew (온유)’s concert, which was supposed to take place at Plenary Hall in the KL Convention Centre.
Rather than providing an explanation, the company DM-ed one of the dissatisfied fans, demanding that they remove a post about the ongoing problem and issue an unconditional public apology for its “defamatory nature.” To this day, things have not improved. Here’s the story:
Earlier this morning (Monday, 27th January), the SHINee World Malaysia Twitter page posted a screenshot of a tweet allegedly posted by the Director of MND Sports & Event Sdn. Bhd, which reads, “At some point, I will step on these Onew kids.” The post was made following reports that fans had initiated legal action against the concert organiser after still not having received refunds.
After a quick check, the account has since been deactivated. As expected, the post attracted a lot of angry fans who called the director out for his unprofessionalism and demanded that he take responsibility for his actions. Many criticised him for playing the victim, while others tagged the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, urging them to investigate the threatening post.
In response, MND Sports & Event Sdn. Bhd issued a statement claiming that the allegations were untrue and that 50% of refund applications had been processed. However, fans were not easily convinced nor forgiving, as the organiser had initially stated that the refund process would take only 45 business days.
Meanwhile, Selangor Princess Tengku Zatasha has been made aware of the situation. Through her Instagram Story, Her Royal Highness, who is a K-pop fan herself, expressed disappointment in the organiser for mishandling the situation, saying, “This will not only look bad for Malaysia, but it will also make K-pop stars reconsider performing in our country. It’s sad that fans had to resort to taking legal action. I feel sorry for them.”
It is unclear whether Tengku Zatasha will assist fans with their case, but regardless, many have thanked her for speaking out and raising awareness about the situation. Let’s hope the issue will be resolved soon.
