BETONG: Rural entrepreneurs in Bukit Saban, especially women, will soon gain wider exposure as traditional dishes from the area are listed on a website promoting local culinary offerings.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the initiative would allow the public to easily identify and access information on the types of food available from Bukit Saban while also supporting local food suppliers.
“This record is important to help the Service Centre identify participants should there be inquiries regarding menus and food supplies in the future.
“These menus will also be listed on a website so the public can know what foods are available from Bukit Saban,” he said when officiating the Bukit Saban Food Festival and Traditional Games at the longhouse of Mendit Unsu in Penom, Ulu Paku on Saturday.
He added that participants of the programme are encouraged to submit reports on the menus they prepared to the Service Centre for official records, which would also assist in responding to future requests for catering and food supply.
Uggah also commended the participants for their creativity and innovation in preparing and presenting traditional dishes, noting that the effort demonstrates the capability of rural communities to produce appealing and marketable food.
He urged the Women’s Wing of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) in Bukit Saban to seize opportunities to showcase their dishes and food products at Agrofest in Spaoh by setting up exhibition booths, which could help generate additional income for their families.
According to him, advancements in food preservation technology now allow certain products to be stored and remain safe for consumption for several months, creating greater potential for rural food entrepreneurs to expand their markets.
Meanwhile, Uggah also called on the Bukit Saban community to establish a Traditional Games Club to preserve local sporting heritage and approved an initial grant of RM30,000 to support the initiative.
“Traditional games are part of our heritage and identity. That is why I want a club to be formed, and I am approving an initial grant of RM30,000 to support its establishment,” he said.
He noted that elders and individuals knowledgeable about traditional games should play a more active role in attracting younger generations to participate so the traditions will continue to thrive.
Uggah also announced that the Bukit Saban Gasing Cup will be organised in May as part of efforts to revive interest in traditional games among the local community.
Touching on development in the area, he said the Replika Kubu Rentap project has already gone through the tender process and the contractor is expected to be appointed soon, with the project slated to take about two years to complete.
