KUALA LUMPUR: A video featuring one of the 28 food vendors participating in the now-cancelled Good Vibes Festival (GVF) plead for the Communication and Digital Ministry to reconsider its decision to cancel the event.
The individual in the video, known as Nazri, said he owned Sausage Sizzle Malaysia and had forked out a minimum of RM15,000 in costs to prepare the food stock for the event.
However, the hefty amount did not include the booth rental at the festival venue, Sepang International Circuit, as well as accommodation, staffing, logistics and the time spent on preparation.
"I understand the implication of last night's happenings and its effects on the people of Malaysia from a social, political and economic stance.
"However, we are all micro-businesses hoping for a chance to boost our sales and revenue.
"Times are tough. This year has been challenging in general. Opportunities like this at Good Vibes don't come often. I beg you to consider the effect this decision has on all of us.
"This (the RM15,000) is not a small amount for small entrepreneurs like us. What does this mean for us? How do we move forward from this? Please help us save Good Vibes 2023 and punish those who are actually at fault instead of us (the food vendors), who are here to participate and to do what we do best."
He was later joined by another individual named Rosanna, representing Youhoo at the festival, who said that many aspects should be taken into consideration when preparing for an event.
"Everyone needs to consider that a lot of money has been spent to ensure that everyone has good times and good vibes.
"We should not be penalised for one person messing it up for everyone," she said.
In the video, Nazri also pleads and hopes that his video, circulating on social media since afternoon, would catch the attention of Communication and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Earlier, Fahmi confirmed that the remaining two days of GVF have been cancelled and that the festival organiser has been informed to identify the compensation mechanism as soon as possible.
The cancellation comes after British band 'The 1975' frontman Matt Healy's speech that included profanities directed at the government, delivered during the band's live performance at the festival last night.
Healy was also seen to have been intoxicated while on stage, as well as lighting a cigarette and destroying the organiser's drone camera.
After delivering his speech, he also kissed one of his bandmates, Ross Macdonald.
The group took concertgoers by surprise, leading to the event's cancellation, when they said their band had been banned from performing in Kuala Lumpur before walking off the stage.