Malaysia’s ‘free mixing’ water musical festival draws ire from PAS

The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) has voiced its opposition to the coming water musical festival set to take place in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.Selangor PAS Youth chief Mohamed Sukri Omar said having an open large-scale event involving “free mixing and a festival-like atmosphere” should be reviewed.“It should be reviewed in terms of values, decorum, local cultural sensitivities and social harmony, as Malaysia is a multiracial nation with Islam as the religion of the federation,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.“Organising such a programme at a critical and crowded area such as Bukit Bintang will cause disruption to the workforce, businesses and traffic, as well as bring safety and health risks including congestion, vandalism, pollution and moral disturbance.”He said tourism should not only be seen through the lens of entertainment but must revolve around sustainability, the people’s welfare and the nation’s image.He stressed that the protest against the event was not a rejection of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026).