Malaysia Plans Massive 3-Day Festival in Bukit Bintang—But Not Everyone's Happy

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia has announced several major events in the Bukit Bintang area of Kuala Lumpur in the run-up to the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign. As part of this, it is planned to organize the Tourism Workers’ Day celebration and the Water Musical Festival together.

The three-day event will start from May 1. Organizers say that these events will play an important role in attracting domestic and international tourists. However, soon after the announcement, debates have also started in political and social circles around the issue.

Festival Plans

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said that these two events will be held simultaneously in the Bukit Bintang area. It has been announced that some roads in the area will be temporarily closed to facilitate the event. The ministry says that these events are being held to honour the contribution of tourism workers and to make the city festive.

At the same time, it is part of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign. The event will feature local artists, cultural performances, and water-based musical performances.

Tourism Calendar

The minister also said that a full tourism calendar will be released by the end of this month. It will include more than 300 events throughout the year, according to Tourism Malaysia. These events will highlight Malaysia’s multicultural identity and heritage.

The calendar will also include festivals such as Chinese New Year, Eid al-Fitr, Diwali and Christmas. In addition, the traditional Tadaw Kamatan and Gawai Dayak festivals of the Kadazan-Dusun and Dayak people will also be important.

Economic Expectations

According to the ministry, these large-scale events will have a positive impact on hotels, retail businesses and small and medium entrepreneurs. The increase in tourist arrivals is expected to boost the city’s economy.

Especially in commercial areas such as Bukit Bintang, traders are expecting additional customers. Authorities say the main objective of the calendar is to spread tourism activities beyond the holiday season. This will benefit the tourism sector in the long run.

Objections and Concerns

However, the Selangor PAS Youth Party has opposed the event. The organization’s leader, Mohammad Sukri Omar, believes that closing the city center for three days will cause major problems for citizens. He said that this may increase the suffering of small businessmen, families and senior citizens.

In addition, large-scale festivals in open spaces also raise questions about social decency and safety. According to him, it is important to consider not only entertainment in the name of tourism, but also the values of society and the image of the country.

Ministry’s Position

Sukri clarified in his Facebook post that this objection is not against the Visit Malaysia 2026 initiative. He urged the ministry to reconsider the decision after discussing it with local residents and businessmen. On the other hand, the ministry said that the final decision will be taken in coordination with all stakeholders.

The authorities hope that an acceptable solution can be reached through discussions. As a result, a compromise can be made between the festival and the social balance.