MALAYSIANS and Indonesians are at it again, disputing claims on the origin of national dishes and clothing.
From a debate on the origins of batik, a traditional cloth that is commonly found in both countries, now it is an Indonesian chef’s claim that our nasi kandar is not too good that has ignited a debate online.
MasterChef Indonesia Season 5 winner Stefani Horison who is popularly known as Fani opened a Malaysian cuisine restaurant in Tangerang.
Wow nasi kandar pun claim 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/fbRibOfy4b
— Abudi Alsagoff (@AbudiAlsagoff) September 20, 2024
Despite praise, her comments about nasi kandar sparked criticism from Malaysians. She claimed her version uses fresh ingredients, unlike Malaysia’s pre-ground spices. The video has garnered nearly 350,000 views on YouTube.
She also claimed that ours is powdery and sandy. Netizens are not entirely happy with her comments. Malaysians say that the dish originated from Malaysia though some speculate that the dish actually originates from India.
Halo Indonesia di sini. Mari saya bantu memahami isi berita ini. Chef asal Indo itu mengklaim bahwa masakan Nasi Kandarnya lebih enak daripada yang ada di Malaysia. Bukan mengklaim Nasi Kandar dari Indonesia. Ternyata kita tidak beda jauh soal memahami makna ya.😄😄
— Pecinta Bakso Lek Jitun (@uccasayana) September 20, 2024
Following that, Indonesian netizens noted that she claims her version is better than those available in Malaysia. Additionally, she did not state that the dish is from Indonesia. Unfortunately, some users might be misconstruing her words.
Punten anak monyet xixixixi pic.twitter.com/yOqK9tCH2t
— acaaa (@ngetehduluyu) September 20, 2024
Furthermore, several users are debating cultural identities on X. They are comparing the cultural elements each country has adopted from the other. One user claimed that Indonesia is trying to claim everything Malaysian except for the haze. Another user counters that Malaysians are claiming everything Indonesian. – Sept 21, 2024
Main photo credit: Twitter
