Muslims Take to TikTok to Promote Malaysia Mosques
They have turned to TikTok to promote Malaysia’s mosques after claiming that Islam was sidelined in a tourism video which featured a church and Hindu temple, highlighting the perennial sensitivities over representation and identity in the multicultural Southeast Asian country.
The Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign aims to attract 35.6 million international travelers and generate 147.1 billion ringgit (US$32.7 billion) in tourism receipts by 2026.
But a 41-second video by the Tourism Ministry launching the drive has drawn criticism from parts of the Malay Muslim majority after it failed to show any mosques.
Instead, it highlighted the 272-year-old Dutch-era Christ Church in Melaka and the popular Batu Caves complex of Hindu temples in Selangor.
“What’s wrong with inserting the Putra Mosque in Putrajaya,” asked YouTube user Syukri Desa in the comment section of the video.
In response, many took to TikTok to promote their local mosques, using the same music from the official video as a counter-campaign.
Those included posts from several mosques’ own TikTok accounts, jumping on the “mosque trend” to highlight their architecture and activities.
“Let’s all share and repost all mosque videos,” said the TikTok account of the Damansara Perdana Mosque in Kuala Lumpur’s Petaling Jaya neighborhood.
Tourism Minister Tiong King Sing responded to the criticism last Wednesday, saying Malaysia’s “stunning mosque architecture” will be included in a more detailed promotional video, saying the clip which sparked the viral campaign is just a short introduction.
“These elements have been included in a more detailed promotional video, which highlights various aspects of our nation more specifically,” Tiong said in a statement.
“This video is in its final stages and will be released soon.”
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Malaysia has a proud multicultural make-up, with the Malay Muslim community – which accounts for more than 60 per cent of the country’s 34 million population – a sizeable minority of ethnic Chinese and Indians, and a mix of various religions and languages.
But community tensions are rising with the Malay Muslim community, often claiming that their identity is often sidelined in the country’s tourism promotions.
In July 2024, organizers of the George Town Festival in Penang apologized after facing backlash over a lack of Malay representation in their promotional video that critics called an “ethnic removal” of nearly half the state’s population.
Launched in 2010 to celebrate the city’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the festival’s omission of Malay cultural representation in its “Here & Now” video struck a nerve with Penang historian Ahmad Murad Merican accusing it of “ethnic removal of the state’s earliest residents”.
A government proposal to get UNESCO World Heritage recognition for the Chinese New Villages and the Chinese pork rib dish Bak Kut Teh received a similar reaction, prompting questions about the lack of similar attention to Malay cultural heritage.
Tiong, however, took aim at those fanning the issue, calling it an example of “extremist attitudes” that disrupt national harmony.
“We should prioritize unity, mutual respect, and collective prosperity,” the tourism minister said on Wednesday.
“I urge everyone, regardless of race, religion, or background, not to politicize this matter or turn it into a racial or religious issue.”
The tourism sector is vital for Malaysia. In 2024, it contributed almost 200 billion ringgit (US$44 billion) to the national economy, accounting for over a tenth of the country’s gross domestic product.
Source: scmp.com
