Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing continues to face backlash over alcohol being served at a tourism industry gala dinner he attended.

Critics from both sides of the divide have described the minister’s defence that the event had been taken over and funded by industry players as simply dodging accountability.

“Tiong’s statement denying the Tourism Ministry’s direct involvement in the event on the grounds that it was instead an ‘industry initiative’ only gives off the impression that...