PETALING JAYA: The Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association (Mita) has criticised Selangor PAS Youth for “prejudging” the water music festival scheduled to be held from May 1 to 4 in Bukit Bintang, saying the event has been professionally planned and is expected to generate economic benefits.
Mita president Mint Leong said the festival, the first large-scale international event in the country held to mark Labour Day in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, aimed to showcase Malaysia as a safe, stable and vibrant multicultural nation while respecting racial and religious sensitivities.
Noting that Labour Day falls during a public holiday, when traffic patterns differ from weekday peak hours, Leong said the organisers had experience in managing large-scale events.
“Road closures are a professional measure to ensure the comfort and flow (of traffic in) the area. This will not hinder the experience, but rather enhance it,” she said.
Selangor PAS Youth chief Sukri Omar had earlier urged the organisers to reconsider the festival, calling it a “foreign street party” and warning that road closures could paralyse the city’s pulse and affect traders and the public.
He said Bukit Bintang, a busy commercial and transport hub, was ill-suited for a large-scale open-air water music festival, and that closing roads in the area for three days would significantly affect urban mobility, small business operations, public safety, and the comfort of the public including families and senior citizens.
Sukri also said major events should reflect Malaysia’s identity rather than copy foreign street party models that might not suit local norms.
He warned that the open-air festival and street-party format might conflict with local cultural values, public decorum and social harmony, given Malaysia’s multiethnic, Muslim-majority context.
However, Leong said that Labour Day, being an international holiday to honour workers, did not have a fixed mode of celebration and was not bound by specific ethnic traditions, thus allowing for “unlimited creativity”.
“The tourism ministry’s unprecedented three-day public Labour Day tourism celebration is aimed at breaking away from traditional frameworks, creating a new era of events that are inclusive and interactive for all Malaysians and international tourists.
“Mita hopes the tourism ministry can showcase Madani Malaysia’s multiculturalism, religious tolerance, unity and openness through this innovative celebration of music and water,” she said.
