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Tourism Minister Tiong King Sing found himself in hot water this week after photos surfaced showing him holding wine and beer glasses at a dinner event, drawing criticism from Muslim politicians who claim alcohol was served at an official government function.
But Tiong isn’t backing down.
In a fiery statement, the Bintulu MP shot back at critics, insisting the booze-filled dinner wasn’t a government event at all—it was a private industry gathering that Tourism Malaysia had simply borrowed as a platform.
The drama started when Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin accused Tourism Malaysia of serving alcohol at an official dinner, allegedly causing Muslim guests to leave early.
“The dinner that YB Mas Ermieyati is making an issue of was actually an initiative by the industry and private sector,” Tiong fired back.
They were so excited because this was the first time we took the initiative to organise such a global event.
Political Backlash Intensifies
Photos showing Tiong and other guests clutching wine and beer glasses quickly went viral, drawing criticism from UMNO Youth chief Dr Mohd Akmal Salleh and PAS Ulama chief Ahmad Yahaya, who is also Pokok Sena MP.
Akmal condemned the organisers of what he called an official government function for openly serving alcohol, describing the action as disrespectful to Muslim sensitivities and contrary to official principles.
Former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin also launched a scathing attack on Tiong, sharing screenshots that prove Tourism Malaysia organised the gala dinner.
“Liar, liar pants on fire,” Khairy posted on Instagram alongside evidence contradicting Tiong’s denials about government involvement.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also cranked up the heat, declaring UMNO’s complete rejection of alcohol being served at what he considers a government event.
“Malaysia is an Islamic country, and such events have never been held in any official government program before and must be rejected,” Zahid said, promising to bring the matter to the Cabinet meeting.
As UMNO President, he emphasised the party’s 100% rejection of the proposal, stating that while the government respects the religions and cultures of the multi-racial society, official government events must consider the sensitivities of Muslims in line with Islam’s position as the federal religion.
Industry Enthusiasm, Government Borrowing
According to Tiong, Tourism Malaysia only organised the Global Travel Meet, which generated RM420 million in economic impact, while the controversial dinner was all private sector enthusiasm.
“In that spirit, they wanted to sponsor and celebrate international industry colleagues through that dinner,” he explained.
The government agency “borrowed the platform” to launch the Visit Malaysia 2026 event calendar, featuring 318 events from every state.
Tiong didn’t just defend—he went on the offensive, accusing his critics of sabotage and ignorance.
If people like Mas Ermieyati continue to issue statements without facts and create fitnah like this, just to popularise themselves, it will only create doubt and damage international confidence in Malaysia.
He emphasised that Tourism Malaysia had zero control over the food and drinks served, focusing only on cultural performances and the VM2026 launch.
The organisers, he noted, provided plenty of non-alcoholic options alongside drinks for international guests.
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