PETALING JAYA: The herbal pork dish bak kut teh has been officially recognised as a component of national heritage, believed by Malaysians to have originated at Port Klang or Klang.
The dish was one of ten foods that heritage commissioner Muda Bahadin designated as national historic artifacts.
As reported by FMT, The statement was released today in the Government Gazette, along with a list of traditional kueh and uthappam, as well as basic meals including burasak, kolok mee, and nasi ambeng.
A favorite among the Chinese population, Bak Kut Teh is a soup made with pork ribs and flavorful herbs and spices.
Its roots are supposed to be in the Hokkien settlement of Port Klang, where in the early 1800s, laborers and coolies used it as a nutritious tonic.
Its origins, however, are in question because to conflicting claims from Singapore, which has said that Hainanese chicken rice is exclusively Singaporean.
The government was questioned last year by Tebrau MP Jimmy Puah on whether to declare bak kut teh a national heritage dish, which sparked a heated debate in parliament.
Penang char kuey teow, laksa, nasi lemak, and chilli crab are among the other well-known local dishes that the history department has previously included to its gastronomic heritage list.
