Out of all the many delicious foods that Malaysia has to offer, nasi lemak is the most iconic and recognised dish among all and is a popular meal be it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Now, the humble dish is on the cusp of achieving global recognition and acclaim following its nomination to be on  the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) World Heritage List, reported The Star.
Nasi lemak nominated to be in UNESCO World Heritage List
Speaking to the press at the Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac) Media Appreciation Gala 2024 on Friday (Mar 8), Tourism Minister Tiong King Sing said the nomination was in line with the ministry’s commitment to promote Malaysia’s heritage.
The nomination of Malaysia’s Breakfast Culture, including Nasi Lemak, is also an effort by the ministry to ensure that the people’s traditional meal is recognised as the National Heritage Food of Malaysia and will not be claimed by other nations.
Aside from nasi lemak, two other national ‘symbols’ have been nominated as well, with them being Niah National Park in Sarawak and Kebaya Malaysia respectively.
“Among them (heritage listed) is the Archaeological Heritage of Kompleks Gua Taman Negara Niah in Sarawak, named as a deserving candidate for World Heritage recognition.
“Meanwhile, the ‘Kebaya Malaysia’, jointly applied with neighbouring countries Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, has been nominated as a candidate for Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage, representing humanitarian culture,” said Tiong.
Tiong added that with these nominations, 2024 will be a year for Malaysia to proudly show its heritage to the world.
He also called upon local media to work closely with Motac in promoting upcoming tourism and cultural programmes such as Visit Malaysia 2026, Visit Melaka Year 2024, and World Tourism Day.
“With the assistance and support from the media, we believe that together we can achieve greater goals in showcasing the beauty and uniqueness of our country’s tourist destinations to the world.”
What do you think of nasi lemak being nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage List? Let us know in the comments!
Read about another dish which was named a national heritage dish but didn’t receive an exactly positive response here:
