Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing has brushed aside criticism of his ministry’s collaboration with Starbucks for the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, he stressed that Starbucks is just one of many partners.
“We’re not solely working with Starbucks. I welcome all MPs to visit my ministry anytime—I’ll show you the complete list of collaborations,” Tiong said during his winding-up speech on the 2026 supply bill.
He accused critics of politicising the issue, saying it offers no benefit to the country. “Do we want tourists or not?”
“If we’re just going to play politics daily, we might as well return to the villages instead of sitting in this house,” he added.
Tiong noted partnerships with Danish butter cookie brands and Muslim-owned perfume labels, pointing out that these receive no attention.
Partnership Details and Backlash
On September 30, Bernama reported Starbucks Malaysia’s strategic alliance with Tourism Malaysia to promote Visit Malaysia 2026 under the “Surreal Experiences” theme.
The move sparked public backlash amid the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Some questioned the choice of a foreign brand over local ones like Zus Coffee or Boh Tea.
Starbucks faced boycotts as a US brand linked to support for Israel’s Gaza offensive.
This contributed to franchise holder Berjaya Food Bhd posting a RM70.3million net loss for the six months ended December.
