With tourism being a big industry in South-east Asia, I can understand why Malaysian Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen launching a campaign to promote the country's cuisine.
Part of her strategy seems to be laying claim to ownership of certain dishes and proclaiming them as Malaysian. I have no problem with that in general but some of the dishes she wants to proclaim as Malaysian are well…not Malaysian!
The minister wants to proclaim chili crab, Hainanese chicken rice, nasi lemak, laksa, and bak kut teh as Malaysian. I can accept Hainanese chicken rice, nasi lemak, laksa, and bak kut teh (even though bak kut teh is a Chinese dish and I believe nasi lemak is Indonesian) as Malaysian, but chili crab is not Malaysian.
Singapore has more claims to chili crab than Malaysia. I can understand there is nothing but bragging rights on the line here but Malaysian Chili Crab?
Sorry but that I do not buy.
4 comments:
I think the media misspelt the Malaysian Tourism Minister's word lah. Me thinks he's saying "chili crap" coz a lot of politicians like him always serve up this kind of dish one...
And another point, how can Bak Kut Teh be Malaysian?? I may be wrong here but I thot their food must be essentially halal?
Bak Kut Teh is an ethic Chinese dish but it was invented by Malaysian Chinese, so I'll give them that one.
To Anon 12:10:
BTW, the Malaysian Tourism Minister is a woman.
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