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SHAH ALAM – Malaysia Blockchain Week (MYBW) has apologised over controversy involving its after-party promotional materials, clarifying that the Digital Ministry and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) were not involved.
The statement was issued following online backlash over the after-party promotion, which drew criticism over the choice of featured individual and questions surrounding its association with a government-linked event.
In a statement on Monday, the MYBW Organising Committee acknowledged concerns over the promotional materials and said it remained committed to upholding the trust of the government, partners, sponsors and stakeholders.
The committee said the Digital Ministry and MDEC were not involved in the selection of the featured individual or the organisation and promotion of the after-party.
"We wish to clarify unequivocally that MDEC was not consulted on, involved in, or associated with the selection of the featured individual, or the organisation and promotion of the after-party," it said.
According to the statement, decisions relating to the after-party were made independently by its organisers and did not represent the views, involvement or endorsement of either the ministry or MDEC.
The committee acknowledged that greater care should have been taken to ensure all activities and promotional materials linked to MYBW reflected the professionalism expected of an event involving industry and public-sector stakeholders.
Following the concerns raised, the organisers said corrective measures had been taken to address the issue and ensure the after-party was clearly distinguished from the official conference programme.
"Effective immediately, all promotional materials relating to the after-party have been withdrawn," the committee said.
The controversy stemmed from the after-party promotional materials featuring Ms PuiYi, whose public image has previously attracted attention due to her adult entertainment background.
The choice of featured personality drew criticism from some members of the public, who questioned whether the involvement was appropriate for an event associated with the blockchain industry and public-sector stakeholders.
Some argued that post-event activities could have instead focused on professional networking, business matching or investor engagement opportunities.
On Threads, one user commented: “Why mix professionalism with an image associated with immorality? I do not care whether the target audience is expatriates or others, but it does not seem appropriate.”
Another user said: “Why have an after-party with an adult entertainer? After an event, there are many other things that could be done, such as networking, business matching or connecting investors with businesses. As someone who runs networking and business events seriously, this leaves me puzzled.”
Despite the controversy, the committee said MYBW 2026 will proceed as scheduled, with the event remaining focused on showcasing innovation, facilitating industry engagement and supporting the growth of Malaysia's blockchain and digital asset ecosystem.
The committee added that it was reviewing its internal approval and event governance processes to strengthen oversight and accountability moving forward.