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<h2>A small water park in Kedah is attracting attention on social media due to its policy exclusively catering to Muslim families, which restricts access for non-Muslim patrons</h2>
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<p><p>The water park, <b>Berangan Aqua Park</b>, is located in Kampung Kelang Makau and is about a 20-minute drive from the city of Sungai Petani.</p>
<p>According to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.google.com.my/travel/entity/key/ChkIrJC5hoWsi45PGg0vZy8xMXA1c3Bkd24xEAQ/reviews?utm_campaign=sharing&amp;utm_medium=link&amp;utm_source=htls&amp;ts=CAEaBAoCGgAqBAoAGgA&amp;ved=0CAAQ5JsGahcKEwiIvrGG7JWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAw">Google Reviews</a>, it is a simple park with only one big knee-deep pool with some water features, and a single water slide for young children.</p>
<p>The entrance fee is RM9 for adults and children, and free for children below three years old.</p>
<p>The <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/02/1009422/rural-kedah-waterpark-makes-splash-catering-communitys-sensitivities">New Straits Times</a> reported that the water park can only accommodate up to 250 patrons at a time.</p>
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<h2>While the water park has been open since 2021, it recently attracted criticism after social media users discovered that the park was openly promoting itself as &#8220;Muslim-only&#8221;</h2>
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<p><p>In an interview with the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/02/1009422/rural-kedah-waterpark-makes-splash-catering-communitys-sensitivities">New Straits Times</a>, <b></b><b>Berangan Aqua Park manager Mohd Fikri Mohd Fadzil confirmed that the park only admits Muslim patrons </b>and that it caters mostly to Muslim families with young children.<b></b></p>
<p>&#8220;We are not here to compete with big-time players. We are offering an option for families looking for a cheaper alternative to spend time with their young children,&#8221; said Fikri.</p>
<p>&#8220;When we designed the business model, the company owner&#8217;s priority was to make sure that it suited the surroundings, which have about 300 Malay households.</p>
<p>&#8220;We also have Islamic religious and tahfiz schools operating in Permatang Berangan, so we had to take that into consideration,&#8221; he explained.</p>
<p>He said the company also decided to become Muslim-only to prevent visitors from wearing swimming attire that went against the local community&#8217;s sentiments.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our priority is to develop a sustainable business model that is suitable for the close-knit Malay-Muslim community. We have explained this to non-Muslims visitors and most of them understood our stand,&#8221; he added.</p>
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<p>                <small class="img-credit">Image via <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/02/1009422/rural-kedah-waterpark-makes-splash-catering-communitys-sensitivities" rel="noopener">Adie Zulkifli/New Straits Times</a></small>
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<h2>However, Fikri said Berangan Aqua Park is open to all visitors regardless of race and religion under group bookings</h2>
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<p><p>&#8220;We welcome group bookings by patrons of different races, either as a corporate organisation, association, resident association, or Rukun Tetangga.</p>
<p>&#8220;In fact, we have hosted group events made up of multi-ethnic participants. It is easier to manage people in groups compared to walk-in patrons,&#8221; he explained.</p>
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<h2>Despite the justification, many social users opined that the move to restrict access to Muslims alone is discriminatory</h2>
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<p>&#8220;This is religious apartheid. It shouldn&#8217;t be allowed to be practised in Malaysia,&#8221; said another X user.</p>
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<p>Civil society organisation Pusat KOMAS condemned the park&#8217;s decision to restrict the park to Muslims, saying that its reason for doing so is &#8220;backward and racist&#8221;.</p>
<p>&#8220;A business entity that is operated and promoted as a tourism attraction should not be opened to a singular race only,&#8221; it said.</p>
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<p>Meanwhile, another netizen said the park operator should include a &#8216;no bikini&#8217; disclaimer on its website if it was concerned about inappropriate swim attire.</p>
<p>&#8220;&#8216;Muslim-only&#8217; for a recreational water park is discriminatory,&#8221; they said.</p>
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<h2>However, there were many others who defended the water park&#8217;s decision to stay Muslim-only as it is located in a small community</h2>
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<p>&#8220;For non-Muslims, you have better options. Visit the nearby ESCAPE Penang or Bertam Water Park. They are bigger and offer a variety of water slides.</p>
<p>&#8220;As for Berangan Aqua Park, it only caters to a small community. Just think of it as a kampung water park, okay?&#8221; suggested a Facebook user.</p>
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<p>Meanwhile, another said, &#8220;You guys are only concerned about your rights, but I&#8217;m a Muslim girl who finds it difficult to enter many hotel swimming pools because we don&#8217;t wear [the usual] swimming attire.</p>
<p>&#8220;There are plenty of water parks you can go. This one caters to a rural area and you guys want to make noise&#8230; We live in a multicultural and multi-religious country, let&#8217;s respect each other.&#8221;</p>
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<p>&#8220;All this fuss about nothing. It&#8217;s the business owner&#8217;s prerogative. He&#8217;s catering to the majority and I hope they succeed,&#8221; opined another.</p>
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<h2>Last year, a Malaysian student questioned whether an afterparty organised by the Malaysian Society of the University of Nottingham at a nightclub was deemed inclusive:</h2>
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<p>&#8220;Clubbing, drinking, and partying have never been a part of the Malaysian culture,&#8221; claimed the student.</p>
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Rural Water Park In Kedah With 'Muslim-Only' Access Sparks Debate

Rural Water Park In Kedah With ‘Muslim-Only’ Access Sparks Debate