Bak kut teh fest draws crowd in Klang
By CHRISTINA TAN
newsdesk@thestar.com.my
KLANG: Thousands thronged the Hokkien Association hall here from early morning to feast on bowls of bak kut teh and rice.
Traffic was also unusually heavy along Jalan Batu Tiga Lama due to the crowds at the bak kut teh food festival.
Many people queued up in front of the hall from as early as 7am yesterday for the Chinese soup which literally translates into “pork bone tea” and is popularly served in the district.
Some 40 vendors took part in the festival themed “Fabulous Food 1Malaysia”, which was held to raise funds for four independent Chinese schools and 21 Chinese primary schools in Klang.
More than 4,000 bowls of bak kut teh with rice were served during the charity event jointly organised by Komuniti Bestari Bandar Klang, the Kapar MCA division and the Klang MCA division.
Kapar MCA division chief Datuk Song Kee Chai said that besides raising funds for the Chinese schools, the event was also meant to promote Klang’s unique bak kut teh to Malaysians and foreigners.
He said eating bak kut teh, which consists of meat simmered in a broth of herbs and spices, had become part of the culture and symbol of Klang for generations.
A total of RM12,000 was raised at the event from 9am to noon.
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, who was represented by her political secretary Datuk Wong Ban Seng, said she hoped the popularity of Klang bak kut teh would expand to other countries and attract more foreigners to the country.
She said the Government had been actively promoting Malaysia’s street food as a tourism product.
“Food tourism is one of our key products and in 2008, the country made RM8.7bil in food bills from the total RM49.5bil tourism receipts,” she said in her speech read by Wong.
In 2009, Malaysia saw a 6% rise in food consumed by tourists, totalling RM9.29bil, she added.
Bak kut teh vendor Jimmy Ng, 54, said he and his wife started the business in 1979 in Taman Eng Ann.
“It is a great honour to participate in the event with many other vendors and for charity and to help promote Klang at the same time.
Ng, who prepared 100 bowls of bak kut teh yesterday, said he hoped such events would continue and bring prosperity to Klang.
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