KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) will promote traditional Malaysian cuisine throughout the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 to boost the country’s tourism industry.
Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan said in the Dewan Rakyat today that local food will be served to foreign delegations at ASEAN-related events held across the country.
“Delegates will experience the deliciousness of our heritage foods. We want to elevate our traditional cuisine as much as we can.
“I believe Malaysia is not only ready to chair ASEAN but will also offer an extraordinary experience for them (delegates) to evaluate themselves,“ he said when winding up the debate on the Supply (Budget) Bill 2025 at the committee stage for MOTAC.
With Inclusivity and Sustainability being the theme of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, he said MOTAC will ensure that every aspect of the event will be felt by all Malaysians.
Meanwhile, Khairul Firdaus said that 19,000 foreign students are expected to join the Edu+ programme by the end of this year, with tourism revenue estimated to reach RM95 million.
He added that the short-term learning packages, combined with tourism-related experiences at local universities and colleges, will further boost educational tourism ahead of the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign.
