MELAKA: Malaysia has missed a chance to promote traditional dish Bak Kut Teh as one of the Malaysian dishes by excluding it from the national list.

Pan Malaysia Koo Soo Restaurants and Chefs Association president Wong Teu Hoon said Bak Kut Teh, a pork rib soup originating in Malaysia, has attracted many patrons from overseas.

Non-Chinese also love the dish made halal by replacing pork rib with beef or chicken.

Wong said Deputy Minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan probably did not know that Malaysia is a food haven due to its diverse ethnic cultures.

“If the government has no plan to list it as a traditional dish, it does not need to verbally harm those promoting Bak Kut Teh.

“Food should not be related to racism which leads to unnecessary disputes,” he said.

Wong said Bak Kut Teh has become a popular dish favored by all Malaysians while non-Chinese have modified the ingredients for their own enjoyment.

He believed the inventors of the dish would be glad to see the development.

Even if Bak Kut Teh fails to get listed as a Malaysian dish, to many people who enjoy the dish, their passion for it remains unaffected, he said.

“If you do not love this dish, please do not harm those who promote it,” he said.

Wong believes that those selling the dish would not stop but continue to promote it.

The question was recently raised at Dewan Rakyat whether Bak Kut Teh should be promoted as a traditional Malaysian dish in order to stop other countries from claiming the dish as their national food.

Khairul Firdaus insisted that the food must be able to be enjoyed by all races for it to be included in the list.