The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has committed to adhering to established guidelines and ethical standards following a stern warning from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim regarding the serving of alcohol at a gala dinner tied to Tourism Malaysia’s Global Travel Meet.
In a statement today, the ministry acknowledged the prime minister’s remarks, expressing appreciation for his constructive feedback. “The ministry deeply regrets any confusion or misunderstanding that may have caused discomfort among the public,” it said, pledging to learn from the incident to prevent future occurrences. “We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused and will continue to strengthen communication and ensure continuous improvements in fulfilling our duties to the people and the nation.”
The controversy arose after Bersatu MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin posted a video on Facebook last Saturday, questioning the presence of alcoholic beverages at what she described as a government event, arguing it violated Malaysia’s cultural and constitutional norms.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing refuted claims that the gala dinner was government-hosted, clarifying that it was organized by private sector partners to mark Malaysia’s inaugural global travel event. He noted that Tourism Malaysia had used the occasion to launch the Visit Malaysia 2026 events calendar.
However, Tiong later acknowledged that Tourism Malaysia was initially the organizer before private sector players took over, seeing an opportunity to secure significant business deals through the event.
