MITI launches investigation after stolen work accusation for World Expo 2025 pavilion

The Malaysian ministry of investment, trade and industry (MITI) has initiated an investigation over a social media post which claimed that the ministry did not compensate or credit a creative agency for its concept of the Malaysian Pavilion for Expo 2025 at Osaka. 

"MITI takes note of the allegation pertaining to the Malaysian Pavilion concept creation that has been circulating on social media and reported by the press. MITI is currently undertaking a thorough investigation to gather and ascertain all relevant facts concerning the allegation made by an individual on social media," it said in a statement.

It also added that the ministry remained committed to the highest standards of integrity and compliance in all its dealings. "We will take the necessary legal action if and when necessary," the statement read. 

When contacted by A+M, a MITI spokesperson shared that investigations were still ongoing as of today (28 April).

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The claims were made by Fey Ilyas of creative consultancy firm Current Media Group, on Instagram, under his handle @feythehuman. His carousel post on 26 April has since garnered over 34K likes, and heaps of comments, including one by world-famous Malaysian born artist Red Hong Yi. 

The main title of the post read: "The Malaysia Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka is built on stolen creative work", with the subline "our proposal was appropriated by MITI Malaysia without acknowledgement or compensation". Fey said in the captions, that his team had stayed silent and patient for over two years. 

"We developed the concept, theme, narrative, and architectural direction for the Malaysia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. We brought in world-class partners, helped secure approvals, and shaped the foundation of Malaysia’s presence on the global stage," he said. "As a small company, even receiving proper acknowledgement for a project of this scale would have helped us build our reputation and open doors to new opportunities. Instead, our work was taken—used without credit or compensation."

"We shouldn’t have to beg to be paid for work that was done, used, and publicly presented. Payment isn’t a favour, it’s the bare minimum. The fact that we even have to fight for it speaks volumes about how little respect they have for the people who actually do the work," Fey added. 

"We were advised to stay quiet. Told that speaking up might hurt our chances of getting future work—that ruffling feathers could close doors. But what’s the point of future work if it’s built on silence, exploitation, and fear? We chose to speak up. Because dignity is worth more than access. And because staying quiet only protects the people who keep doing this to others," the agency owner said in the post's caption. 

His Instagram post also included alleged screenshots, receipts, and comparisons between their core idea and intent for the "Weaving a future in harmony" concept with MITI's. Fey also claimed that the comparisons were not coincidental similarities. "It's a deliberate rewording of the core idea and intent behind our theme, trimmed down but unmistakably ours," the carousel post read.

MITI was also accused of using Creative Media Group's architectural direction, as the consultancy had brought in a Japanese architectural firm Kengo Kuma & Associates and introduced them directly to MITI. Fey said in his post, that his team made every effort to be fairly acknowledged and compensated but to no avail.

He explained that meetings were held with MITI minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, the Expo secretariat, and submitted several letters, even a letter of support from Kengo Kuma & Associates addressed directly to the minister. The Japanese architectural firm has been credited in the official Expo 2025 website. Fey added that his team worked under tight deadlines for eight months with the promise of a formal appointment, but was subsequently dropped in 2023 and told by MITI that their work would be put up for an open tender. 

"We get it, sometimes plans change, ideas get scrapped, new directions are taken. If MITI had decided to start over and called for new proposals in their tender, we would've respected that. But that's not what happened. They continued to use the work we developed," he said. 

Fey also claimed that when he tried to speak up publicly about the issue, he was blocked by Tengku Zafrul and restricted by the official Expo 2025 Malaysia Instagram page. After months of unanswered calls and emails, he said that they received a blunt response that Current Media Group would not be paid, with MITI citing a lack of procurement records.

Fey's Instagram post has also made its way to the r/Malaysia forum on Reddit, which now has 3.6K upvotes and over 300 comments. Many redditors applauded Fey and his team for standing up against MITI, even if it might threaten their future opportunities. One comment read: "All this lack of ethics and accountability is exactly why Malaysia’s quality of work will always be second tier. Open tender? They probably just picked their nepo/kickback contractor, gave them everyone’s proposals and asked them to adapt from there." 

Many other netizens also called for the consultancy to sue MITI, and some added that it is advisable to withhold sending clients, especially government clients, the final product until a proper procurement order or contract has been received. 

According to MITI's Malaysia Pavilion official website, the layout features three levels, and includes a "tree of harmony", a sustainability hall, a culture hall, as well as a rooftop terrace. The exhibitions which will take place within the Malaysia Pavilion include a stage performance, the "passage of progress" as well as a Malaysia hall of fame. 

A short summary of the "Weaving a future in harmony" concept was also listed on the site, stating that "the future is shaped by our actions today, as the interconnected nature of our world means that global challenges like climate change, economic inequality, and pandemics require collective solutions [...] Just as skilled hands weave simple threads into intricate fabrics, nations working together can transform the present into a harmonious and prosperous future for all."

Expo 2025, also known as the World Expo, is set to run for 184 days between 13 April to 13 October this year, at Yumeshima, Osaka. Featuring over 160 countries, international organisations and more, this year's theme is "Designing future society for our lives". Its subthemes cover saving lives, empowering lives, and connecting lives. The previous Expo 2020 was held in Dubai, while the following one after Osaka will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2030. 

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