MCA has proposed cooking classes for foreign cooks, instead of a blanket ban for hawkers to hire foreigners, in efforts to preserve the traditional flavours of Penang cuisine.

MCA Youth Penang chairman Michael Lee said that cooking classes will aid in enhancing the overall quality of the Penang hawker industry, whilst preserving Penang as a gourmet paradise.

He also said that providing cooking classes will be beneficial to locals as well, as more locals will be able to grasp authentic cooking tips through such classes.

Lee also said that banning foreign cooks was not a reasonable excuse to maintain the dish’s original flavor.

“It reduces the choices of hawker stalls regarding the industry’s human capital,” he said in a statement.

“Cooking classes to maintain the authentic tastes can minimise the negative impact,” he said, expressing hope for the Penang state government to consider the party’s proposal.

Nazri's behaving inappropriately

Lee also expressed disappointment over Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz for “teasing” MCA Youth about not winning any seats in Penang.

“Such a senior cabinet minister should not utter such inappropriate remarks.

“On the contrary, he should set a good example for the younger generation to follow,” said Lee.

Nazri yesterday had ticked MCA off  for incessantly criticising the Penang government for attempting to rid local hawkers of foreign cooks.

The minister derided MCA by saying that "the party does not represent the rakyat" and that it had "truly lost its direction" in lobbying for the foreign labourers instead of the Penang hawkers.

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