Pragmatic, moral and cognitive legitimacy as drivers of trust and loyalty in Malaysian Keretapi sarong multicultural festivals

Purpose This study investigates how pragmatic, moral, and cognitive legitimacy influence participant trust and loyalty in Malaysia’s multicultural festival context, focusing on the Keretapi Sarong Event (KSE). It addresses gaps in festival research by examining legitimacy as an antecedent of trust and testing trust as a mediating mechanism in the legitimacy–loyalty relationship. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 274 participants of KSE. Validated scales were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and complemented with Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) to capture both sufficiency and necessity effects. Findings Results reveal that all three legitimacy dimensions (pragmatic, moral, and cognitive) significantly and necessarily predict participant trust, with moral legitimacy emerging as the strongest driver. Trust exerts a powerful effect on loyalty and mediates the legitimacy–loyalty relationship. The NCA convergence classifies all constructs as must-have conditions, underscoring their indispensable role in sustaining festival loyalty. Practical implications The study extends the applicability of legitimacy and social exchange theories to multicultural Asian contexts. The findings guide organisers and policymakers to emphasise inclusivity, fairness, and cultural resonance in the design of sustainable festivals. Originality/value Using a dual-method PLS-SEM + NCA approach, this study is among the first to empirically integrate legitimacy theory, trust, and loyalty in a multicultural KSE festival context.