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Despite Peace Talks, Malaysia Tourism Minister Says Native Dishes Being ‘Hijacked’
September 18, 2009

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The cultural heritage games look set to continue with Malaysia now taking its turn by claiming certain dishes, such as laksa and chicken rice, as its own and accusing other countries of “hijacking” them.

“We cannot continue to let other countries hijack our food,” Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen said on Thursday according to the Star newspaper. “Chili crab is Malaysian. Hainanese chicken rice is Malaysian. We have to lay claim to our food.”

Other dishes Malaysia claims as its include the fragrant coconut milk rice “nasi lemak,” the spicy soup noodle “laksa” and the pork ribs herbal soup “bak kut teh.”

“In the next three months, we will identify certain key dishes [to be declared as Malaysian]. We have identified laksa — all types of laksa — nasi lemak and bak kut teh,” she said.

Ng said her ministry would announce a strategy on how to brand the dishes as Malaysian.

“That is part two. We cannot reveal it yet, but we will let you know soon,” she reportedly said.

Ng did not name the countries supposedly hijacking the dishes, which are popular around the world and particularly in neighboring Singapore and Indonesia.

Her comments came amid a diplomatic row with Indonesia, where protesters have accused Malaysia of stealing its cultural heritage.

The dispute erupted here in August after erroneous reports emerged that Malaysia had screened tourism advertisements featuring the traditional pendet dance of Bali.

The ad was actually a promotion for a Discovery Channel program, but despite an apology from the network, protesters vowing to “crush Malaysia” burned national flags and threw rotten eggs at the embassy in Jakarta.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman met his Indonesian counterpart, Hassan Wirajuda, in Jakarta on Thursday in a bid to cool tensions between the two countries, which Malaysia has described as a “grave concern.”

Ties between the two countries are regularly punctuated by rows over cultural issues as well as the welfare of Indonesian laborers and maids working in Malaysia. 

AFP