KUALA LUMPUR: The organiser of the 2024 Fiesta Raya Baling Carnival has publicly apologised to all parties, especially the people of Kedah, for the recent controversy involving sensational host, Azwan Ali or Diva AA.
According to a Harian Metro report yesterday, Maju Kedah Resources in a statement said the celebrity's dangdut-style dance performance with several men on stage was unexpected as it was not part of the programme.
It added that the presence of the celebrity was at the invitation of his TikToker friend, Diva BB, who was also conducting business at the Fiesta Raya Baling Carnival.
"With regards to the viral video of Diva AA dancing on the Fiesta Raya Baling stage recently, we on behalf of the organisers of Fiesta Raya Baling 2024 sincerely apologise for the issue.
"That matter that occurred was beyond our expectations which we initially thought was just a stage prank because Diva AA or Azwan Ali was not on the official invitation list.
The Fiesta Raya Baling Committee is very sorry for what happened and once again apologises to all parties affected by the issue," it said.
The statement added that the organiser was later reprimanded by Bayu State Assembly Member Mohd Taufik Yaacob, who ordered the 2024 Fiesta Raya Baling event to be shutdown as a sign of acknowledging responsibility for the offending incident.
"We, as the organiser, take responsibility and accept the order to immediately shutdown the 2024 Fiesta Raya Baling event.
"Saturday was our last day of operations," it said.
The incident, which is believed to have taken place last Thursday, was captured on video and featured Azwan Ali and several men dancing on stage at the 2024 Fiesta Raya Baling Carnival which went viral.
Their dancing on stage received heavy criticism from netizens as it was happening during the holy month of Ramadan.