Popiah: Chef Wan says demonstrators 'shallow minded'

Popular chef Datuk Redzuan Ismail or better known as Chef Wan had slammed the group of demonstrators who had said that Malaysia should not claim ownership of popiah (spring rolls).

He said the dish had existed in many countries and accused the protesters of never having been outside the country.

“From China to Philippines, it is called lumpia and Mexicocalls it Chimicanga. In Thailand and Vietnam, they have their own version of popiah. It’s the same idea, food rolled and fried,” he wrote on his Instagram (@chefwan58).

He also urged all parties to not entertain the demonstrators and ignore their demand.

Chef Wan was commenting on the demonstration by a group of activists known as Forum Masyarakat Peduli Budaya Indonesia (Formasbudi), claiming that spring rolls or ‘lumpia’, as it is known there, was originally from Semarang, a city on the north coast of the Java Island.

The demo was held in front of the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta last Friday.

According to Formasbudi, the lumpia was first introduced by a Chinese man, Tjoa Thay Joe, whom had settled in Semarang and later married a local woman named Mbok Wasi in 1870.

On Sunday, Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz had told Indonesia to stop claiming the spring rolls as theirs.

He said, in return, Malaysia could also question the origins of the Indonesian Language, where there are many Malay elements.

Meanwhile, historian and culturist Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Nik Safiah Karim urged Indonesia to stop fussing over minor issues such as the origins of certain foods which are already difficult to trace.

She said such frivolous disputes should stop as Malaysia and Indonesia share many cultural similarities.