PETALING JAYA: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has dismissed claims that Muslim guests left the Global Travel Meet gala dinner early due to alcohol being served, calling the allegation “baseless and misleading”.
He said Tourism Malaysia had only played a facilitating role, using the event as an opportunity to promote the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026) calendar.
“Tourism Malaysia merely borrowed the platform, as it provided an opportunity to introduce Malaysia to the world through close collaboration with industry players,” he said.
Tiong was responding to allegations by Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, who claimed that alcohol was served at the dinner, prompting Muslim guests to leave.
“Initially, yes, we were the main organiser and took the lead in promoting the event. But as I mentioned yesterday, the industry players and private sector soon realised they could secure substantial business deals during the Global Travel Meet.
“Recognising this unexpected opportunity, they were excited and offered to take over and host the gala dinner themselves. As a result, both international buyers and local purchasers began buying travel packages in large quantities, with total business transactions reaching RM420mil.
“The Tourism Malaysia director-general sought my consent on this change, and of course I agreed, because it helped save government expenditure. I don’t see anything wrong with that,” he said in a Facebook post.
Tiong said the ministry was grateful to the industry players for hosting the gala dinner and bearing the cost, which helped reduce the government’s financial burden.
He stressed that all food and beverages served at the event were not under the board’s provision, as Tourism Malaysia’s focus was on coordinating arts and cultural performances and launching the VM2026 Calendar of Events that night.
“At the dinner, the organisers provided a wide range of non-alcoholic beverages, catering to the needs of various international guests,” he said.
Tiong urged Mas Ermieyati to focus on efforts to promote sustainable economic growth, noting that the tourism sector could serve as a catalyst for job creation and foreign exchange generation.
“Through the implementation of VM2026, we can elevate the country’s image to a higher level. More importantly, she also has the responsibility to promote the country’s tourism, especially in the states and regions she represents,” he added.
He also called on the MP not to “arbitrarily use the Federal Constitution to mislead the people” or issue statements without understanding the full facts.
