Songkran-style Water Festival to be adapted for Malaysian audience, says DPM Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — The upcoming Water Music Festival, inspired by Thailand’s Songkran Festival and scheduled for May, will be adapted to suit local culture, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the organisers will ensure the event is tailored to prevent controversies or negative reactions, according to a report published in Harian Metro today.

“We will adjust the festival so that elements likely to spark controversy or debate can be avoided,” he told reporters.

Ahmad Zahid made the remarks after officiating the departure of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026) participants in conjunction with Federal Territories Day at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur entrance in Bukit Bintang yesterday.

Also present were Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Fadlun Mak Ujud.

Previously, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) had planned several events around Bukit Bintang as part of the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign, including Tourism Workers’ Day celebrations and the Water Music Festival.

While the festival resembles Thailand’s Songkran, some quarters had called for the event to be cancelled.

Ahmad Zahid said various activities are planned under the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign to attract more tourists to the country.

He noted that a fun run organised for Federal Territories Day drew an unexpectedly large crowd.

“Initially, we targeted around 3,000 participants, but including unregistered entries, over 5,000 people took part. This shows very encouraging participation, especially among diverse communities,” he said.

He added that the marathon scheduled for August is expected to attract international participants, boosting publicity and bringing more tourists to Malaysia.

“With good publicity, we hope to see more inbound tourists, which will of course benefit the national economy,” he said.

Commenting on the types of events that can draw tourists, Ahmad Zahid said this depends on the target group, and programmes should be tailored to the interests of each segment.

He also commended Motac and Tourism Malaysia for continuing to organise familiarisation trips (fam trips) involving tourism operators, airlines, journalists, and travel writers.

“This must be followed up with concrete actions. We cannot rely on one type of publicity for all groups; events must be designed according to the target audience,” he added.