THE Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry will take action against the Tattoo Malaysia Expo 2019 organiser, following the circulation of photos of semi-naked people with body art on social media.

Minister Mohamaddin Ketapi said he has ordered the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCeB), which is under the ministry, to investigate the event, held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from November 29 to yesterday.

“It would be very strange for the ministry to approve an application for an event where there are pornographic elements because it is just not Malaysian culture. What more, the majority of Malaysians are Muslims.

“Nothing like this has ever been displayed to the public. I understand that such displays may have been behind closed doors, but it is still not appropriate.

“I have asked the ministry and MyCeB to investigate. An international expo to attract tourists (is alright), but not in this manner. It does not portray the true image of Malaysia, which is polite and has morals,” he said in a statement today.

He said it is not the first time the country has hosted the tattoo expo, with the inaugural event held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, in 2015.

The expo has been held annually since, with the exception of last year.

Mohamaddin said this is the first time “pornographic” elements from the event are shared online.

Since yesterday, photos taken at the expo of tattooed buttocks and other body parts have made the rounds on social media, including those of women in nothing but G-strings.

Social media users have questioned whether some of the full-body tattoos are real.

Mohamaddin said the action to be taken against the organiser will be decided after MyCeB completes its probe.

This year’s expo featured participants from 35 countries.

Mohamaddin’s deputy, Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, told the Dewan Rakyat that the ministry had granted a permit for the event to be held, but did not allow nudity. – December 2, 2019.