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By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, June 13: Promote ‘tuak’ (Sarawak rice wine) as a culture in Sarawak, turn it into a festival, and expand production to a global scale, says Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP) Sarawak deputy minister Datuk Sebastian Ting.
Ting told reporters this when met after the launch of the Sarawak Gastronomy (Sago) Incubator 2023 held today at a coworking space here.
“We can demonstrate what Sarawak has to offer regarding tuak production. We may host a tuak festival with activities like a tuak competition not only in Kuching but also in the northern, central, and southern regions.
“Tuak, from what I understand, is now very popular in West Malaysia. So, if we organise the tuak festival for the first time, the following years will grow in popularity, and we will not only promote tuak production in Sarawak but also in West Malaysia and perhaps, in a few years, the entire world will be our market,” he said.
Ting also stated that his ministry would look into assisting in increasing the potential of making tuak so that it can be commercialised on a large scale.
“The longhouse community or villages throughout the State currently know how to make tuak because it is a tradition passed down from generation to generation.
“So we need to conduct research to find ways to assist those groups in producing tuak so that Sarawak’s culture can be promoted worldwide,” he mentioned.
Tuak is more than just a traditional liquor; it is the identity of the Dayak community, especially the Iban and Bidayuh, and it is integral to traditional ceremonies and celebrations like Gawai Dayak. — DayakDaily
