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KUCHING, June 16: Disappointed and describing former minister and Dewan Negara Speaker Tan Sri Rais Yatim’s view on Bak Kut Teh as “narrow”, Federal Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac) Dato Sri Tiong King Sing says the term ‘bak’ in the Chinese dialect refers explicitly to meat, leaving no room for alternate interpretations.
Tiong thus held that the ‘bak kut teh’ (BKT) dish, featuring a flavourful herbal soup base, should be celebrated and appreciated as a culinary heritage when considering its overall perspective rather than narrow considerations of race or religion for determining its halal status.
“That should be the focus and not the protein used as an ingredient in cooking. Yes, pork bones and pork are used as ingredients initially, and it is the most popular version.
“But the dish has evolved to include mutton, chicken, seafood, and even vegetarian versions so that all Malaysians can enjoy this simple dish.
“When preparing BKT, everyone can use the protein they prefer. There is no need to complicate this matter,” he said in a statement today.
Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP, highlighted this as he expressed disappointment in Rais for his outdated and narrow thinking in his statement on this matter.
Currently, Motac is looking into the possibility of including BKT as one of the heritage dishes of Malaysia.
Tiong drew attention to the evolving nature of food, citing the example of ‘dim sum’, which has become popular among the Chinese community. He pointed out that halal dim sum options are now available, which benefits Muslim businesses.
“Isn’t this something good, especially for Muslim businesses? Moreover, Malaysia is now recognised as one of the world’s largest halal hubs,” he added.
Urging Malaysians to be open-minded, Tiong emphasised his clear position that all foods associated with any race or ethnicity should be respected, including categorising them as national food or heritage food, as it is through this diversity that Malaysia’s true identity is reflected.
“Why do we have to fight over dishes that come from Malaysia?
“Let us stop making such statements by using the hot issue of the day just for small political gains; it only sows hatred and destroys the foundation of unity,” he urged.
This issue became a hot topic after it was raised in Parliament on June 7 by Tebrau MP Jimmy Puah inquiring about the Ministry’s efforts to ensure that traditional Malaysian foods such as nasi lemak, bak kut teh, and laksa are elevated as Malaysia’s national food.
Deputy Motac Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan has already made it clear that food categorised as national food or heritage food should be something that can be eaten and enjoyed by all races in this country. — DayakDaily
