Why can’t Malaysia emulate Singapore’s ‘dikir barat’ showcase instead of indulging in “sinful” water fest?

 

THE battle rages on.

The Rain Rave Water Musical Festival 2026 in Bukit Bintang (April 30-May 2) may have come and gone but debate on the supposed morality of activities continue to dominate headlines in both mainstream and online media.

An example of the latter was to be found in a Facebook post by Malaya Kini, a forum dedicated to trending and viral news, which brought netizens’ attention to an event across the Causeway that purportedly showcased dikir barat performance, replete with Kelantanese dialect for added authenticity!

The event was originally highlighted on Threads by Lukmanhkm_14 who sought to compare and contrast the event held in Singapore’s Kampung Glam to the Kuala Lumpur water fest with the claim that our southern neighbours seem to know how to attract tourists with events showcasing local (and regional) culture.

Following similar patterns surrounding this hot topic, opinions seem to be divided on whether the KL event was appropriate or indeed, that Singapore was paving the way forward by focusing on traditional performances that celebrated local customs and cultures.

Neo-conservative voices were loud and plenty. One commenter openly questioned the value of the inaugural Rain Rave 2026 bash by arguing that it did not reflect local culture blend.

Short of condemning the event for being infested with social ills, where are the events that promote and celebrate Malay, Chinese and Indian heritage?

It was also sarcastically insinuated that those supporting the water fest had been deprived from playing with water or bathing in public en masse when they were kids.

One observer labelled Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing as a drunkard who loved promoting “alien cultures”. The name-calling itself was perhaps indicative of the mindset of this demographic.

The backlash was not only swift but similarly hard-hitting with many commenters slamming the conservatives for their narrow world view.

One supporter of the KL event argued that Singapore organised plenty of public water-themed events. This selective showcasing of the dikir barat performance in the island republic was misleading and designed to create a false narrative.

In a lengthy and impassioned retort, one commenter slammed the neo-conservatives for being “a fake Arab nation in the middle of the tropics” among various other points.

It was also pointed out that it was unfair to impose one’s religious values on others in a plural society.

The numbers tuning into live feeds online of the Rain Rave event were in itself proof of its success in putting the spotlight on Malaysia as a tourist destination.

But perhaps most damning of all was a claim that the dikir barat performance clip was filmed during the re-opening of the Malay Heritage Centre in Singapore (as opposed to it being a cultural event designed for tourists).

The Rain Rave may have come and gone but the above underlines the length which some will go to further their agenda.

The truth be damned or at least is conveniently circumvented to paint a false narrative. Those who use the above dikir barat performance in Singapore as the way forward really need to get their facts right. – Focus Malaysia