Does chicken rice, chilli crab, "nasi lemak" and "laksa" belong to Malaysia?

Question

The Malaysian Tourism Minister claims dishes like chicken rice, “nasi lemak”, “bah kut teh” and “laksa” all belong to Malaysia and that other countries have “hijacked” the dishes.

Do you agree with her? Does Malaysia have a right to stake a claim to these dishes?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Of course not, what rights do they have to claim those famous dishes belong to them? what proof do they have? they are just trying to steal and blamed other countries hijacked their dishes, that's outrageous and despicable!

Answer 2

The only dish belonging to M'sia is Ipoh Hor Fun

Source(s):

Self

Answer 3

She has the right to stake the claim and the other countries have their right to refute that claim. One should ponder however how valid is it to even claim Bah kut teh as theirs when they dont even eat pork. Isnt it against syriah laws since its a muslim country?

Answer 4

I definitely do not agree with the Malaysian Tourism Minister claims. But then again, they can say anything they one. I wonder do they have so much time in the world to go and fight for some nitty gritty stuffs. Whereas they can do much more better trying to improve things like road signage and better road systems.

Answer 5

She can yell, she can swell.....but all those dishes are here to stay... that is in my country, SINGAPORE.

Answer 6

of cos NOT!. If they want to start claiming, then obviously "Hainanese chicken rice" should belong to the Hainanese, which then belongs to China isn't it. (DUH!).

Think they really eat too much, have nothing better to do....

Answer 7

why did they even bother to fight for the rights? it will be a waste of manpower, time and money.. imagine the amount of resources they have to pool in to do the detailed research about the origins of the food... it'll be another eternal "war"...

Don't they have anything better to do? like, thinking of more ideas on how to promote their own tourism?

Answer 8

She is really just a plain dumb. these words from a Minister just to show that she has got a head but malfunction brain. this will just cause waves of argument. please don't spoil the food. be it malaysia or singapore. its just delicious food. don't bring the food to the table of politics. Miss MINISTER.

Answer 9

Such action and comment from someone of such high regard just smacks full of ignorance and disrespect. Its just disappointing.

If anyone can trace the roots to such dishes like chili crab or chicken rice, one would realised that it was introduced into Malaya. Singapore, for example, was part of Malaya before they went solo. So its kind of unfair to just stake full rights when its all from the same source.

I'll say that all of these dishes belong to everybody, its just that some of us make the dishes slightly better than some. I think thats part of the reason why Singapore is more famous for their chili crabs and not Malaysia?

Answer 10

who don't know singapore is famous for it hainanese chicken rice, singapore chilli crab, singapore laksa, changi nasi lemak, and bah kut teh.. if they try to claim those dishes belong to them.

maybe they should rename the dishes such as malaysian chicken rice (but not hainanese because it'll turn out to china which i'm also a hainanese). Nasi Lemak is created by the malay which a few country also have it. so if indonesia is bigger than malaysia, so indonesia should have the right to claim it.


there's two version of bah kut teh, one is the black soup version which belong to malaysia, the white soup version belong to singapore

penang laksa belong to them coz it already stated penang but not the singapore version laksa which taste much better with cockle.

Answer 11

I thought they are halal country, how can Bah Kut Teh associate with their national dishes. We only hear of tourist or celebrities coming to Singapore asking for all the above food. Maybe we are ignorant, did they ever mention the above food in Malaysia? What a laughing stock. In a lot of food fair overseas, those are all the exhibit food from Singapore. If the above are theirs, why they are not invited or perhaps they only exhibit their halal food.

If the above are theirs, MUST WE PAY THEY COPYRIGHT FEE. SO CUTE AND SO RIDICULOUS.

Answer 12

Malaysia can only claim the word "nasi" as Malay;hence it`s Malaysian. The laksa is nyonya and baba( part chinese0 compiles with malay.
It is a forced right to stake.

Answer 13

Starting from stealing others' dances, now foods. Wonder what next on their lists?

Answer 14

A BIG 'FAT' NO!!!!

Answer 15

Give the Tourism Minister better job to do at her office rather than rambling about this food 'hijacking' matter unless she really does not have any job to do....

Answer 16

I dont totally agree that it belongs to malaysia, but damn you singaporeans talk as if those dishes belongs to you,. lol

Answer 17

ya she is "right". Chili Crap belong to her country as she love to talk craps. Chicken rice obviously belong to China as it is the Chinese who bring them over when they come over to work in the England rule period. and haha as a muslim country bragging the right to a dish that is made of pork is a big joke.As for Laksa and Nasi Lemak each country have their own favours. if she want the right to it then she must make sure the whole malaysia sell the same taste of laksa and nasi lemak. then she can name the Malaysia Laksa and Malaysia Nasi Lemak. Just like Penang Laksa

Answer 18

Please lah... Everything also wants to claim is theirs... Island can't claim, now claim food... Please leh...

Answer 19

No they don't have a right to stake a claim to these dishes as they do not have the evidence to prove it. I'm not saying we do, but we don't go around bragging that these dishes belong to us.

Answer 20

This is rubbish.Just because they have problems with Indonesia on the "cultural hijacked" ,they must find a scapegoat to justify their actions?????.Might as well include roti chennai,wanton mee,fish ball noodle,economy rice,fish head curry and etc etc belongs to Malaysian????.So we all be hungry and no food to eat.Such a childish mentality.

Answer 21

In the mid 80s till now...my cousin from KL,Malaysia, love to eat chicken rice here.Because back then, she can't find a single chicken rice there...till somewhere in the late 90s, i saw some hawker selling chicken rice there but she claimed it's not as good as here in SGP...For Chilli crab n nasi lemak n laksa, there are many varieties of it...Tell the Malaysian Tourism Minister to be specific....

Answer 22

nonsense, malaysia is just trying to divert attention, now when they are involved in a 'hijacking' issue with indonesia.
if malaysia is really the one who came out with these dishes, then they have really neglected their creations. seriously, i've not heard of any famous chili crab or chicken rice.. in terms of laksa, singapore's katong laksa and penang laksa are worlds apart, both taste so different.
in any case, where these dishes come from is not important.. what's most important is whether the chef can cook it right. and of course, we, the customers, are the judges. if it's nice, there's no need to worry about not having customers.
come to think of it, have anyone seen a hainanese chicken rice stall run by malays? and malays selling ba kut teh?

Answer 23

Maybe tomorrow they will decide Mcdonalds will be theirs as because they won the McCurry case. Ha!

Answer 24

they can say anything they want to actually . . . . be it Petra Branka, water supply etc. . the losers are the ones who always complaint and lack the COMPETENCY to prove that they can do it better than us in Singapore.

They might as well claim that Singapore belongs to them or that our most honorable LKY stole ideas from Mahathiar to build Singapore to where it is today . . .

Malaysian politics is absolutely disgusting.

Answer 25

does it make a difference?? honestly, what good does one gets when the self pro claims are made based on their own logics?! In anyway...IF they won the case, I take it as our advantage as we'll be able to put up signages like 'JB Bak Ku Teh' 'Penang Laksa' 'KL Roasted meat' which is gonna attract more tourists & customers within Singapore itself!!! Hahahaaa! Big Deal!

Answer 26

First, they claimed Pedra Branca now food what's next....... Hmm....No wonder Indonesians are protesting. Perhaps it's better to just shrug it off and concentrate on our affairs.

Answer 27

No. these dishes are representative of different ethnic groups, cultures and society in Asia. no one country has a right to stake a claim on them. these dishes come to exist today due to today's cosmopolitan world. these dishes belong to everyone not just malaysia.

Answer 28

OF COS NOT!!!! just because u cook a dish doesn't mean i can't cook the same dish!!!!

they are just being unreasonable!! BIG BULLY!!!!

ya ya ya.. i know it's fasting month n the tourism minister can't stop thinking abt food. but he definitely doesn't have the right to say such ridiculous stuff... i think even his brain juice has gone on a fast!!!!

Answer 29

this is plain madness...
she is just jealous that the food is more well known elsewhere.... *sighz*

Answer 30

Com'on Malaysia only recognise malays as their nationality. How can they claim that these chinese food like laksa, hainanese chicken rice, PORK bah kut teh and even chili crab belong to them!!!!

Please lah.... if they want..... recognise the malay food as theirs cos only malays are recognise in Malaysia. Dun try to grab anyhting which are popular to tourism.

Answer 31

Malaysian Tourism is jealous that Singapore is a Global Hub lols ! Bah kut teh is pork leh ! Why the malaysia minister want to claim it ! They also dun giv much right to Malaysian Chinese so why should they steal what malaysian chinese have? Anyway , Singapore is the first to introduce chicken rice and chilli crab to western country, the one who have the power to spread influence win LD