KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 – Live Nation Malaysia’s managing director Paramananthan Rajagopal is urging fans once again to source their concert tickets from authorised and official ticketing platforms.

This comes after several secondary ticketing or reseller websites such as Viagogo or Veritickets were already seen selling tickets for the upcoming K-pop group concerts BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Kuala Lumpur even before the presales started. 

In a brief conversation, Paramananthan told Malay Mail that fans should stop sourcing tickets from such sites as it could lead to ticketing scams and they should be aware of the websites they are visiting. 

“When the buying stops, so does the scamming. 

“Fans also need to be aware of the authenticity of these platforms,” he said. 

When asked whether Live Nation Malaysia will take legal action against these sites, Paramananthan said that there are no legal action they could take against these types of resellers as Malaysia does not have any law that explicitly bans ticketing scalping. 

Previously, local BTS fans took to social media platforms such as X and Threads to vent their frustrations after several secondary ticketing websites were seen selling the highly anticipated BTS in KL tickets even before its official release dates.

Aside from that, local BTS fans also called out several influencers who were allegedly trying to sell BTS in KL tickets ahead of the release date too via social media. 

A screenshot from a secondary ticketing website Veritickets selling tickets for the upcoming BTS in KL concerts at inflated prices and before the official presales even began. — Screenshot via veritickets.com

A check by Malay Mail showed that a reseller site, Veritickets, was selling several ticket categories, including the VIP package, for the upcoming BTS in KL concerts at inflated prices of RM2,000 to RM15,000. 

The original ticketing prices for the concerts ranged between RM338 to RM1,288. 

Although Malaysia does not yet have an anti-scalping law, it was previously reported that one is currently being formulated by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and the Communications Ministry. 

However, this was reported back in 2023 and little to no updates have been provided by either ministry so far despite Malaysia expecting to host several global concert tours this year. 

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) minister Nga Kor Ming revealed that Kuala Lumpur now ranks 65th in the global smart city index. 

Speaking at the launch of the KL Architecture Festival’s (KLAF) Tropical Fruit Pavilion launch at Titiwangsa Lake Garden this morning, Nga also said that KL is among the top 10 most popular cities in the world in terms of international tourist arrivals according to Mastercard.

The launch was also attended by the Federal Territories minister Hannah Yeoh as well as KL mayor Datuk Fadlun Mak Ujud. 

“Among thousands, we are ranked number 65. 

“And I’m fully confident under Hannah and Datuk Fadlun’s leadership, KL is going to be in the top 50 soon,” Nga said. 

He added that KL is also ranked number four globally for a city with the most skyscrapers. 

“To my surprise as well, KL is ranked number four in the world for a city with the most numbers of high skyscrapers. 

“We currently have 494 buildings that are actually qualified as skyscrapers,”Nga added. 

Touching on the KLAF’S Tropical Fruit Pavillion in Titiwangsa, Nga said that there are around 12 interactive pavillions that have has been installed at the park starting today until this December. 

He said that this is an example of how architecture can transcend conventional boundaries and be meaningfully integrated into public spaces, allowing people from all walks of life to engage with design in an open and inclusive setting. 

“At KPKT, we strive to create liveable and, most important, lovable communities.

“We want to build urban environments that are not only economically vibrant but also economically resilient, culturally expressive, and socially inclusive,” he said. 

KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — The ticketing battle for the upcoming BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Kuala Lumpur continued for its second consecutive day today and allocated tickets were fully sold out within three hours.

The Live Nation Presale, which began at 11am today, kicked off with 900,000 online users joining the queue. However, by 12pm, the number had risen to 1 million and by 1pm, it had dwindled to just over 200,000 with several categories, including VIP, Cat 1 and Cat 2, already sold out.

At around 2pm, concert promoter Live Nation Malaysia took to its X and Instagram accounts to announce that all allocated tickets had sold out for the day while adding that Restricted View (RV) seats would be added for both days of the concerts.

The RV seats will be available during the General On-Sale, which commences tomorrow from 11am.

Despite the heavy traffic, today proved to be a smoother experience for fans compared to yesterday, when the ARMY Membership Presale saw around 1.3 million users flocking to the waiting room, with all ticket allocations being fully snatched up within five hours.

Today also marked the launch of the Trip.com presale, featuring specially curated accommodation packages which include BTS in KL concert tickets for travelling fans.

These packages, which are priced between RM1,718 and RM2,087, allow concertgoers to not only catch all seven BTS members live on stage but also fully immerse themselves in the Kuala Lumpur city experience.

Meanwhile, as yesterday’s presale was marred by rampant scalping and reselling activities online, with tickets already being offered for resale within the first hour, GoLive Asia, the official authorised ticketing platform for BTS in KL, said via Instagram that any tickets associated with suspicious accounts may be cancelled and voided.

“To safeguard the integrity of the ticket sales process, any tickets associated with accounts flagged for suspicious, fraudulent, or prohibited activity may be cancelled and voided without prior notice.

“Any voided tickets will be returned to the available inventory and released during subsequent sales, helping to ensure equitable access and a fair opportunity for genuine fans to purchase tickets.

“We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in supporting a fair ticketing environment for everyone. Thank you,” GoLive Asia wrote on Instagram today.

A brief check on social media platforms such as X and Threads showed that reselling activities were still rampant today.

Although most of the resellers would require interested parties to leave them a direct message for pricing, at least one user on X was seen offering Cat 7 tickets for RM400, a mark-up from its initial RM338 price.

Meanwhile, resellers on online marketplace Carousell were also rampant, with one seen offering Cat 6 tickets, initially priced at RM438, for RM600.

Today marked the last presale day for BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in KL while the general on-sale will begin tomorrow, June 5, from 11am.

For more ticketing information, please visit https://www.golive-asia.com/home.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — The Royal Selangor Visitor Centre is set to transform into a multi-stage musical hub, hosting a 13-hour continuous lineup for the upcoming Royal Selangor Jazz Festival 2026.

Returning for its third edition on July 12, the festival will feature 19 acts across four distinct stages, anchoring a programme designed to showcase jazz’s cross-cultural and evolutionary reach.

This year’s programme emphasises regional adaptation and genre-blending, bridging traditional Malaysian sounds with Western jazz foundations.

Headlining the list is none other than legendary Malaysian cultural icon Datuk Zainal Abidin who will perform a special set. 

In a similar vein of cultural reinterpretation, Ida Mariana is scheduled to perform her “Kebaya Jazz” set, which uses contemporary jazz arrangements to reinterpret vintage Malay classics.

The festival’s roster also leans heavily into cross-lingual and experimental territory.

Vocalists JSY, Janet Lee, and Winnie Ho are slated to perform, delivering Mandopop and Cantopop classics reframed through a traditional jazz lens. 

For audiences looking for more contemporary instrumental trends, the group Naungan is not to be missed; they will debut soundscapes that blend indigenous regional instruments with modern arrangements. 

Duo Vonlynn and Poann are set to perform jazz interpretations of iconic Studio Ghibli cinematic themes.

Standard swing and foundational jazz will maintain a strong presence throughout the day.

The Frankie Sixes will anchor a tribute to the Great American Songbook with a set focused heavily on Frank Sinatra

Acclaimed Malaysian musician Michael Veerapen and jazz groups Pop n’ Bop will also perform at the festival, along with expressive vocalist Jo Lixian.

Tickets for the Royal Selangor Jazz Festival 2026 are available via ticket2u.com.my with general admission priced at RM150 for adults and RM30 for kids below 12 years old. 

For those planning to attend in groups, there is also a bulk pricing structure: group orders of 20 to 49 tickets are discounted to RM110 per ticket, while orders exceeding 50 tickets drop to RM100 per entry. 

For more ticketing information on the Royal Selangor Jazz Festival 2026, please visit https://www.ticket2u.com.my/event/48886/royal-selangor-jazz-festival-2026

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming today launched the Tropical Fruit Pavilion at Titiwangsa Park, a key attraction of the year-long Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival 2026 (KLAF 2026).

The launch features 12 interactive pavilions located within a section of the 114-acre park behind the WNB Aquasports building.

Organised by the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM), KLAF 2026 aims to activate the city through public installations, exhibitions, dialogues and conferences.

“The pavilion today and also KLAF, it represents a distinctive and thoughtful contribution.

“Exemplifying how architecture can transcend conventional boundaries and be meaningfully integrated into public spaces, allowing people from all walks of life to engage with design in an open and inclusive setting,” Nga said.

He also said the pavilion has the potential to become a benchmark for Malaysia’s annual architectural pavilion showcase, similar to the United Kingdom’s renowned Serpentine Pavilion, held annually in Hyde Park, London.

Rooted in Malaysia’s tropical heritage and seasonal landscape, the Tropical Fruit Pavilion translates cultural references into spatial installations that explore identity, ecology and public life through architecture.

The programme features seven curated pavilions developed with KLAF 2026 partners, including BlueScope and Nippon Paint, among others.

It also includes five winning proposals from the Titiwangsa Pavilion competition, showcasing emerging designers reinterpreting Malaysia’s tropical heritage through contemporary architectural expression and public engagement.

“The Tropical Fruit Pavilion is conceived as a spatial reading of Malaysia’s tropical identity, reinterpreting culture, heritage, and landscape into an immersive public architectural experience,” said KLAF chief curator Ar. Rien Tan Kwon Chong.

Among the installations on display is The Sanctum, a pavilion constructed from recycled wooden pallets arranged in a spherical form resembling a giant sepak takraw ball.

Another pavilion takes inspiration from the traditional gasing, allowing visitors to pull a rope to set the structure spinning.

The KLAF Tropical Fruit Pavilion will remain open until December 2026.

The exhibition also serves as a lead-up to the DATUM Conference 2026, which will be held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) from July 29 to August 1.

Further information on the festival is available at klaf.my.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — As of today, over 4,000 litterbugs have been caught so far, said Housing and Local Government (KPKT) minister Nga Kor Ming. 

Nga said that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) now has 4,000 free social workers to help clean up the streets of KL. 

This comes following major updates to the anti littering laws, where the government has introduced heavy fines of up to RM2,000 and mandatory community service orders (up to 12 hours) for minor offences like tossing cigarette butts, plastic bottles, or spitting in public. 

“We now have 4,000 free social workers who will help us and DBKL sweep the streets for free. 

“And they also have to pay us a RM2,000 fine at the same time,” Nga said. 

Aside from working together with DBKL to stamp out litterbugs while also making the City Centre cleaner, Nga also pointed out that KL will be safer now, especially with the rollout of thousands of facial recognition and high definition closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras around the city. 

“KL is going to have not 1,000 but 10,000 facial recognition and high definition CCTV. It will be just like in Shanghai and Beijing. 

“There will no longer be any cases of snatching or stealing because the CCTV installed by DBKL can recognise your face and the Royal Malaysia Police will be waiting for you,” he said. 

Previously in May, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh and Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud revealed the installation of 10,000 AI powered CCTV. These units are outfitted with high resolution sensors and facial recognition technology, allowing for real time coordination.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — The official membership presale allocations for the upcoming BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Kuala Lumpur sold out completely within five hours. 

The presale, known as the ARMY Membership Presale after the fandom, started at 11am today and saw heavy traffic during its first two hours, with approximately 1.3 million online users queuing in the waiting room page.

However, by 4pm, concert promoter Live Nation Malaysia had taken to their X account and Instagram to announce that tickets had been fully snatched up for the first phase.

“Army, all of you were on fire today. The ARMY membership presale is now sold out!

“Missed your chance? Get ready for the Live Nation Presale happening tomorrow,” Live Nation Malaysia tweeted.

Earlier today, some BTS fans took to social media platforms such as Threads and X to share their preparation for the presale battle. 

Some even joined the waiting room as early as 9am, while others were seen flocking to cyber cafes in groups to secure tickets. 

As the presale commenced, several ARMY members complained about the waiting time they endured to reach the buying page while several others celebrated their successful purchases. 

Several videos also circulated showing ARMY celebrating their wins at cyber cafes.

Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza also posted an Instagram Story congratulating a member of her team who successfully secured tickets.

Meanwhile, the official authorised ticketing platform Go Live Asia also shared via its Instagram story that the majority of participants in today’s membership presale were from Malaysia.

Other listed countries include Indonesia, China and Vietnam.

Aside from that, several resellers have also appeared across social media and online marketplace trying to resell their haul just over an hour after the presale began.

A brief check on online marketplace Carousell showed several users already selling tickets as early as 12.40pm, with at least one user offering Cat 6 tickets for RM600 compared to the original price of RM438. 

Another user was seen selling the same Cat 6 tickets for RM890, and there was also a Soundcheck VIP Package listed for RM3,200 instead of its initial price of RM1,288. 

Several Carousell users are already reselling BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in KL tickets. — Screenshot via Carousell

Ticketing service providers were also rampant on sites such as X and Threads, with a couple offering their service for RM100 per ticket.

Some of these ticketing service providers also claimed they had a bypass link access that could skip the waiting queue, meaning they could go straight to the buying page. 

Today marks the first day of the official ARMY Membership Presale, which was supposed to run from 11am to 10pm. 

Meanwhile, the Trip.Com Presale is scheduled to start tomorrow from 9am to 11.59pm while the Live Nation Membership presale will also be happening tomorrow from 11am to 10pm. 

General ticket sales open on Friday, June 5 at 11am.

BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in KL concerts are set for December 12 and December 13 and will take place at the TM National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. 

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — Sensational pop singer Datuk Aishah was one of Malaysia’s ultimate ‘IT girls’ of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

She first found global fame as the frontwoman of Kiwi synth-pop outfit The Fan Club (marketed locally as Aishah and The Fan Club), famously breaking into the US Billboard Hot 100 and becoming the first and only Malaysian to win a New Zealand Music Award. 

Upon returning home, she instantly dominated the local music landscape. Anchored by her evergreen solo masterpiece Janji Manismu, this era cemented her legendary status and brought a succession of major industry accolades.

Following a celebrated 20-year musical career that included a decade-long lawsuit, Aishah pivoted to politics in 2012. 

She initially joined PAS — even contesting a parliamentary seat in the general election — before later moving to the progressive splinter party, Amanah, under the Pakatan Harapan banner.

She eventually exited politics after an eight-year stint, returning full-time to entertainment where she won Astro’s Gegar Vaganza in 2017 and was conferred a Datukship in 2022.

Now in her golden years, the 61-year-old is busy preparing for what could be her final major solo concert, Aishah: 40 Chapters of Love, Live in Concert, set to take place at Mega Star Arena this July 4.

Aishah and The Fan Club days 

“I think it was a bit of a novelty back then, to see a Malaysian with a bunch of New Zealanders at that time... When I think back about it, that must’ve been pretty radical,” Aishah told Malay Mail.

Before cementing their legacy, the four-piece funk-pop outfit — consisting of Malcolm Smith, Glenn Peters, Dave Larsen, and future Malaysian Idol judge Paul Moss — went by the borderline red-flagged moniker of Soul on Ice.

Aishah, who was pursuing Political Science and Early Childhood Education at the University of Auckland, caught their attention after placing third in New Zealand’s 1986 Telequest talent competition.

Following her win, she was courted by both Soul on Ice and Peking Man, a major local act seeking to find a replacement for their vocalist Margaret Urlich. 

Aishah ultimately chose the former to forge her own identity. 

“Peking Man already had like three or four number one hits.

“I felt that if I went with them, I would constantly be compared to Margaret Urlich,” she explained.

Renamed Aishah and The Fan Club, the band signed with CBS New Zealand (now Sony Music), dropping two full-length studio albums: Sensation (1988) and Respect the Beat (1989). 

They enjoyed a string of hits like Sensation and Paradise, eventually winning Artist of the Year at the 1991 New Zealand Music Awards.

The band even breached the global stage when a Mark S. Berry remix of Don’t Let Me Fall Alone charted on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay. 

Yet, navigating international stardom in a pre-internet era proved unsustainable, prompting CBS New Zealand to pull funding.

“In hindsight, some were saying that we should have just been sent there (to the US) to work the promotions.

“We had another single that we think would have done really well in the American market called Never Gave Up On You, but since we were on the other side of the world, without the technology that we have now, we’ve lost the momentum unfortunately,” Aishah said. 

Homecoming and going solo 

Following the big win at the New Zealand Music Awards, Aishah was offered a solo role by CBS back home — where the initial idea was that she would go solo while waiting for the green light on The Fan Club’s third album — which unfortunately never came, and the group later disbanded in 1993.  

It was around this same time that she recorded and released her iconic Janji Manismu single which won her numerous awards and accolades locally when it came out in 1990. 

This includes winning the Song of the Year at the fifth edition of Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL) as well as the best vocal category. Janji Manismu also saw Aishah sweeping the Most Popular Female Singer and Most Popular Artist categories at the Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian (ABPBH) that same year. 

Despite her success, Aishah admitted that in her early days, there were those who were sceptical of her talent with some questioning her fluency in Bahasa Malaysia due to her time abroad and some even belittling her role in The Fan Club, claiming that she was just riding on the band’s fame. 

“I was pretty offended when they say that I was riding on the band’s popularity, sometimes people can be so mean. 

“If I’m that disposable, the band could’ve easily found someone else to replace me but the fact that they didn’t really does say something. 

“I mean, give me some credit at least,” she said.

As for those questioning her fluency in her own mother-tongue — Aishah shut down the critics following her exceptional performance of Bahtera Merdeka during a live session on RTM’s Hiburan Minggu Ini in 1991 where she was also joined on stage by the late legendary composer and musician Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan. 

Between 1990 and 1995, Aishah released five studio albums under CBS (which later changed to Sony Music Malaysia), with her first three albums (Aishah, Aishah II, and Aishah III – Asia... Sedunia) achieving multi-platinum status, each selling over 100,000 units in Malaysia.

She also managed to complete her Master’s Degree in Political Science and her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education during that time. 

Looking back, Aishah admitted that there were several unanswered questions and “what-ifs” lingering at the back of her mind, such as why she didn’t continue putting out English solo songs after her return. 

“To be honest, I’m not quite sure myself as to why nobody offered me to do solo English songs. 

“You would think that would be the most natural step right? Especially when you started with English songs. 

“But for some reason when I started singing in BM, almost everybody forgot that I used to sing in English,” she said. 

She also pointed out that she sometimes wondered what would have happened if Aishah and The Fan Club had switched labels after their final album. 

It is also worth noting that Aishah actually made a temporary move from Sony Music MY to EMI Malaysia between 1996 and 2000 where she signed a contract with the label for the production of three studio albums. 

However, the label prematurely terminated the deal in June 1999 before producing the third record.

In response to the contract termination and unpaid royalties, Aishah officially filed a RM406,000 breach-of-contract lawsuit against EMI. To complicate matters further, EMI went ahead and commercially released her festive album, Pulanglah Perantau, in early 2000.

After a gruelling ten-year battle that also impacted her music career, the High Court finally ruled in Aishah’s favour. The judge completely dismissed EMI’s countersuit and ordered the label to pay her general damages and full legal costs in November 2009.

Getting political

Following the filing of her lawsuit against EMI, Aishah went back to Sony Music Malaysia and produced two more albums, tallying a total of 10 albums throughout her solo career which culminated in her 2010 Islamic spiritual album Anak before her eventual move into politics. 

She started her political career with the Islamist party PAS which was under the leadership of the late ‘Tok Guru’ Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. She was also among the wave of local artists who decided to join PAS at the time, a movement known as the ‘gelombang penghijrahan artis’ (wave of artists migration). 

Aishah delivering a speech at Pakatan Harapan’s convention in Shah Alam in 2018. — Picture by Zuraneeza Zulkifli

Among other celebrities who were part of this wave were Gerak Khas actress Abby Abadi as well as the late prominent lyricist, actor and comedian Bob Lokman. 

“At the time, there were issues that I had seen myself, it was within my own circle. 

“I’ve seen corruption and of course I couldn’t just keep quiet about it. 

“So, that’s how I started,” she said. 

Fast-tracked by her celebrity status, Aishah quickly transitioned from a regular member to an executive committee member of the PAS women’s wing before she was eventually entrusted with the ‘watikah’ to run for the parliamentary seat of her hometown Jempol in Negeri Sembilan in the 13th General Election (GE13) in 2013. 

She ran against Barisan National heavyweight Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, who at the time, had served as the Negeri Sembilan’s menteri besar for over 20 years. 

Despite reports indicating that Aishah had a fairly visible campaign, she lost the parliamentary seat to Isa who won it with 31,124 votes, giving him a majority of 8,629 votes whereas Aishah managed to garner 22,495 votes.

“I realise that when I lost the GE13, I was like the happiest loser because I can go back to my life. 

“I felt tortured because I was away from my children and at that time, all my schedule was done for me, there was no life and you didn’t get much say on it. 

“So, when I lost, I was like yes, let’s go home to the kids,” she said. 

Following her GE13 loss, Aishah remained with PAS for two more years before shifting to Amanah in 2015. 

This move came amid an ideological schism within PAS, which grew increasingly conservative after the passing of their spiritual leader Nik Aziz. 

Mirroring her entry during the celebrity “migration”, her exit aligned with a second wave of departures — the historic G18 mass exodus — where prominent progressives and technocrats like Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Khalid Samad, and Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad left PAS to establish the Amanah.

Away from politics and back to entertainment 

By 2017, Aishah had gradually returned to entertainment by entering and winning the grand prize at Astro’s singing competition Gegar Vaganza.

She officially exited politics in July 2018 after helping Amanah with their campaign during the 14th General Election that year. 

Despite the ups and downs she faced in the political arena, Aishah said that politics taught her a lot about herself and how she reconnected with her true calling as an artist. 

“It was not a bad experience at all. It was good because it taught me who I am and what I like and what I don’t like. 

“I still love to help people but I want to do it my own way through my talents. 

“I’m also giving way to those who could really do the job, let them continue the fight,” she said. 

Datuk Aishah posing for a portrait ahead of her upcoming July 4 solo concert. — Picture by Sayuti Zainuddin

Following her return to entertainment, Aishah not only participated in a couple of singing competitions but also held her own solo concert with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in 2022. 

She was also conferred a Datukship by the ruler of her home state, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir in that same year. 

She even released a new single titled Taman Keabadian last year and she will also be holding another solo concert, which might be her last, this July 4. 

Tickets for her upcoming concert coined as Aishah: 40 Chapters of Love, Live in Concert are still available via www.ticket2u.com.my, which are priced between RM288 and RM788.