By: Hendra Rijal
Photo by: Marina Ismail
SERDANG, 25 Sept – The Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication (FBMK), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) organised the 2018 Traditional Malay Food Festival to elevate the status of the various types of the traditional Malay cuisine.
UPM Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datin Paduka Dato’ Dr. Aini Ideris, said that the local traditional cuisine has the ability to attract tourists and at the same time, allows them to appreciate the beauty of the Malaysian landscapes which can boost the country’s tourism industry.
“Some tourists visit Malaysia solely for the purpose of enjoying the delicious and unique traditional foods which are prepared using various recipes and spices,” she said.
Therefore, she said, it is important for the society to preserve traditional cuisine among the current generation so that we will not lose our heritage.
The Director of the UPM Malay Heritage Museum, Rahimah Hamdan, said that the programme is an annual event organised by the Malay Heritage Museum. Previously, the focus of the programme was on traditional foods prepared according to their states of origin.
“Now, the objective of the programme is to create exposure towards the various cuisines in a comprehensive manner and elevate the status of the recipes inherited from our ancestors. This time around, FBMK staff also participated in the preparation of the cuisine. Out of the 25 stalls, half of them belong to the staff of the faculty.”
The Director of Hawkers and Petty Traders Department, Ministry of Trade and Consumer Affairs, Abdullah Abdul Rahman, also attended the event.
Ikhmal Baikhaqi Mohamad, a Bachelor of Arts (Malay Literature) student from FBMK, said that the programme has successfully introduced the Malay cuisine which represents Malay identity. According to him, the Malays should be proud of the uniqueness of their traditional cuisines.
He added, “I could learn and identify traditional cuisine of each state. Before this, I did not know the state of origin of these foods.”
The highlight of the 2018 Traditional Malay Food Festival was a cooking demonstration of shrimp gulai cooked with bamboo shoots and palm sugar by a lecturer from the Faculty of Food Science and Technology, UPM, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Shahrim Karim. – UPM
