KUALA LUMPUR: The quality of the Citrawarna 2026 cultural showcase must be improved to reflect Malaysia’s diverse heritage and meet international standards, says Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah).
"The event’s recent production should showcase the country’s cultural identity rather than focus solely on elaborate performances.
"Programmes should involve all states and communities with different ethnic backgrounds, making it important for each state’s culture to be represented accurately," she said during the Budget 2027 debate in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Oct 14).
She also highlighted the Terengganu contingent’s performance of "Watimang Landak" during the Colours of Parade event at Dataran Merdeka here from July 24 to 26.
"The song was incorrectly presented as 'Watimah Landak', and it is a misrepresentation of Terengganu’s cultural heritage to international audiences," she said.
She further questioned the extensive use of artificial intelligence-generated music in the performances, saying the production had drawn criticism from social media users.
"Is this what we want to show tourists?" she said.
She claimed that budget cuts had resulted in state performances being replaced by clubs from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, which she said did not accurately represent the states they were meant to portray.
“Who was responsible?" she asked.
Citrawarna 2026, a national cultural tourism festival organised by Tourism Malaysia, was held at Dataran Merdeka from July 24 to 26 in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026.
Showcasing the country’s diverse traditions, arts and heritage, its four main segments featured cultural parades, traditional food, performances, and arts and craft activities.
