GEORGE TOWN, July 16 — George Town Festival 2024 (GTF) organiser, Kerson Media Global Sdn Bhd, has removed promotional videos after several groups accused it of promoting only ethnic Chinese and Indian cultures in the clips.

The organiser also apologised for "unintentionally” offending certain individuals and groups in the teaser videos for this year’s GTP.

It stressed that they had ensured inclusive, comprehensive and balanced representation of all races, sexes, ages and cultures in all plans and promotions for the festival.

"We have also invited representatives from all ethnic groups to be involved in the teaser video in question,” Kerson Media said in a statement.

It said this year, there are eight programmes by Malay groups and individuals lined up throughout the festival.

The programmes are PEON Performance by Patblas Creative, Lawatan Berpandu: Pengalaman Prangin by Moka Mocha Ink, C.O.R.E. Homegrown Concerts by Uah Music Culture, Southeast Asian Chorelab by MyDance Alliance, Dancing in Place by MyDance Alliance, USM fine Arts Showcase: Voyage of Discovery@GTF, 63-65: Notes from a Separation Performance Workshop by Bahri & Co and Performance: Experiment@Courtyard China House.

George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), as the festival owner, said they have set certain performance benchmarks for the festival which includes at least 50 per cent representation of local artistes from Malaysia.

This year’s festival has a total 80 programmes in which 53 programmes are performances by local artistes in the form of film, theatre, exhibition, and multi-sensory experiential programmes, it said.

"We view the disappointment voiced by the local communities seriously and have advised the festival contractor, Kerson Media Global, to resolve this issue as soon as possible and to improve promotions of local programmes,” it said.

GTWHI and Kerson Media were responding to a statement by Persatuan Melayu Pulau Pinang (Pemenang) and Gabungan Persatuan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Melayu Negeri Pulau Pinang (Gagungan) yesterday that the GTF promotional video only promoted ethnic Chinese and Indian cultures.

Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff, who is president of both Pemenang and Gagungan, claimed that the video, themed "Here and Now”, did not promote the multicultural society of Penang as if denying the existence of Malay culture in the state.

Today, Penang PAS information chief Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan also issued a statement voicing his disappointment over the issue.

He questioned if the video is yet another agenda to depict George Town as belonging only to a "certain race”.

He called on the state government to take action against the parties involved.

"Also, when will the state government reconsider changing George Town to its original name, Tanjung Penaga? We should be using a name that symbolises our identity and not the identity given by the coloniser,” he said.

GTF 2024 this year is from July 19 to 28.