By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 30: Malaysia must not allow racial issues to be politicised or sensationalised, as such actions could inflame racial and religious tensions and undermine social harmony, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Dato Sri Tiong King Sing warns.
In a TVS news report, Tiong stressed that Malaysia’s credibility on the global stage depends on its ability to demonstrate unity, mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among its diverse communities.
“Issues related to race should not be turned into political polemics or sensationalised to the extent that they create tension.
“Instead, unity and harmony must be presented as the most important values for the international community to see and assess,” he said at a press conference held in conjunction with the Sibujaya Countdown 2025 yesterday (Dec 29).
Tiong said the message is particularly significant as Malaysia prepares for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), which aims to attract more than 40 million tourists.
He noted that the tourism sector is currently performing strongly, with visitor arrivals nearing 40 million as of November, exceeding the initial target of 38 million, while tourism receipts are estimated at around RM300 billion.
“We hope that by 2026, Malaysia will be able to attract more than 40 million tourists,” he added.
Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP emphasised that achieving this target will require active participation from young people and close cooperation among all states to promote local culture, cuisine and identity as part of Malaysia’s international image.
He also highlighted the Sun Bear mascot as a symbol of national togetherness, friendliness and harmony, qualities designed to appeal to international visitors.
“This mascot represents a friendly, united and harmonious nation. That is the image of Malaysia we want to present to the world,” he said.
Countdown events such as the Sibujaya programme, Tiong said, play an important role in showcasing Malaysia’s cultural diversity, traditional food and youth engagement across communities.
“We want the world to see the richness of our cultures and cuisines, from the Malay and Chinese communities to the Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau, Kenyah and many others.” — DayakDaily
