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DrGieL3
I like this minister who dare to claim those popular dishes as ours .... Later, maybe, we can also to claim tom yang,
sukiyaki, noodle, kebab, etc as ours ..

Malaysia is truly asia .. It would be better to be a thief country because we have nothing (which could make us proud as nation)..... Hehehehe

QUOTE
Truly Malaysian? Tourism Minister wants to stake claim on popular dishes


KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — Malaysia is starting a food fight.

Laksa, nasi lemak, Hainanese chicken rice, chilli crab and bak kut teh are all Malaysian dishes, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen declared.

On Wednesday, Dr Ng accused other countries of “hijacking” local dishes such as laksa and nasi lemak, and said it was high time that Malaysia claimed them as Malaysian.

“We cannot continue to let other countries hijack our food,” she said, without naming the countries.

“Chilli crab is Malaysian. Hainanese chicken rice is Malaysian. We have to lay claim to our food,” the minister said after she launched the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival.

But some food critics disagreed, saying that it would not be possible for a country to claim ownership over the dishes.

Celebrity chef Rohani Jelani said that food in general is not politically divided.

As people move from one country to another, they also take with them the recipes of their favourite food.

“I think it is difficult to claim ownership or to say exactly what food originated from where. This is because there are no boundaries when it comes to food,” she told The Straits Times.

Singapore food celebrity K.F. Seetoh agreed that it would be impossible for anyone to claim ownership over food, even if a certain dish is easily available at a certain place.

“It is better to lay claim by association,” he suggested.

“For example, burgers are not from America, but they are associated with America,” said Seetoh, who hosts popular TV show Makansutra on the Asian Food Channel.

Dr Ng said that her ministry was identifying the popular dishes, which are also available in neighbouring countries, and would declare them as Malaysian in the next three months.

“We have identified laksa... all types of laksa, nasi lemak and bak kut teh,” The Star newspaper quoted her as saying.

But she did not say how her ministry would label the dishes as Malaysian.

The Tourism Minister's announcement came as Malaysia and Indonesia were working hard to resolve a dispute alleging that Malaysia “stole” Indonesian culture such as batik and claimed it as its own. — The Straits Times
Majapahitans
Wow food fight...! embarassedlaugh.gif

Neway..., here in Indonesia we always consider Laksa, Nasi Lemak, and Teh Tarik as Malaysian. Don't know about Bak Kut Teh and Hainanese Chicken Rice.
Actually we have our own varient of Laksa, Laksa Bogor and Laksa Betawi, still I think Laksa is Malay-Peranakan hybrid food.
Crystallised Dream
Dr Ng should seriously just shut up.
Sumpit
Who are the other countries claiming the Malaysian dishes as theirs?
I've always seen laksa and lemak dishes as Malaysian, never knew that nasi hainan is from Malaysia too, is he sure? Always thought it was Singaporean laugh.gif
Seetoh is right, Ng is just nagging. *throws a potatoe at Ng*
(off topic: I always had trouble pronouncing the surname Ng, how do you say it?! there's no vowel)
wadthehell2
Singapore used to be part of Msia so whatever food Malaysia considers to be theirs also belongs to singapore.
I thought a minister was supposed to be able to think rationally.
Sexysomchai
" Hainanese chicken rice " , " bak kut teh " malay ?

This NG is really lame duck , he can go " pat yet " (F duck)

Hainaese chicken rice obviously came from China although french fries don't come from France.
Bak kut teh .... when did malays like to eat pork. "
fullout
Actually, my friends from China who visited Hainan, said they never heard of Hainan Chicken rice. Maybe its not to special over there cos everybody cook their chicken that way, but when it got exported to Malaysia, we go crazy over it.

Anyway, Singapore has claimed Fried Bee Hun as theirs. Because everywhere overseas, Fried Bee Hoon is known as "Singapore fried noodles". ha ha
Aparentlty some ang moh tried that in singapore and determined that it originated from there...

If our politicians are so dumb as to want to claim rights over foods, then which country will claim the burger or sandwich as theirs? It is truly foolish. SOmetimes when politicians open their mouth, it only shows how stupid they are.
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