A government-supported water rave in Kuala Lumpur has sparked a culture war in Malaysia, facing strong religious objections over perceived 'moral harm'. This conflict highlights the government's challenge of promoting the country as a modern tourist destination while managing rising conservatism.

A government-backed water rave in Kuala Lumpur has earned the wrath of Malaysia’s culture war brigade, pitting religious objections against tourism goals, as critics decry the vulgar import amid growing conservatism. The uproar over the three-day Rain Rave Water Music Festival in Bukit Bintang comes as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government tries to promote the country as a youthful, experience-led travel destination, even as it manages a traditionalist pushback against concerts, pop culture....