Teresa Kok challenged PAS and UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh to offer substantive alternatives to boost tourism instead of opposing entertainment-driven initiatives linked to Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026). [1]
The objections targeted the Rain Rave Water Music Festival 2026 in Bukit Bintang, a flagship attraction under the VM2026 campaign. [1] Kok said critics of tourism-focused entertainment programmes should present viable proposals that can attract international visitors and stimulate domestic economic activity. [1]
"PAS and Dr. Akmal need to be realistic. The majority of foreign tourists visit Malaysia to relax, seek entertainment, and experience the vibrancy of urban culture. They do not come to be bound by excessive moral restrictions," Kok said. She added, "If they do not agree with the organisation of street concerts or music festivals, then they are responsible for presenting other programmes that can attract millions of tourists." [1]
Kok criticized PAS’s tourism record, pointing to what she described as a decline in the tourism sector in Langkawi caused by narrow policies and image issues. [1] She said, "Do not turn Malaysia into a country with a sluggish tourism sector like what has happened in Langkawi due to narrow policies and image."
She argued Malaysia should prioritize economic growth and the success of VM2026 over opposition politics based on race and religion that, she said, only drive away investors and tourists. [1] "Our focus now should be economic growth and the success of VM2026, not politics of opposition based on race and religion that only drive away investors and tourists," she stated.
The remarks and objections to the Rain Rave Water Music Festival 2026 were reported on May 3. [1]
