The three-day water music festival scheduled to take place in Bukit Bintang from May 1 to May 4 will be allowed to proceed, but its programme will be adjusted to align with Malaysian cultural values, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
“We will make adjustments to the programme to reduce elements that have sparked controversy,” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia.
The festival, organised under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has drawn criticism on social media, with some calling for it to be cancelled.
Selangor PAS Youth chief Sukri Omar also urged the organisers to reconsider the event, describing it as a “foreign street party” and warning that road closures could disrupt the city’s flow and negatively impact traders and the public.
He added that the open-air, street-party format could conflict with local cultural values, public decorum and social harmony, particularly in Malaysia’s multiethnic and Muslim-majority context.
In contrast, Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association president Mint Leong defended the festival, saying it had been professionally planned and aimed to promote Malaysia as a safe, stable and vibrant multicultural destination, while remaining sensitive to racial and religious considerations.
