An Indonesian netizen, A Madzlan, has taken to X (formerly known as Twitter) to vent her frustration in regards to some Malaysians' apprehension of Indonesian cuisine (specifically Balinese). Her Twitter thread (originally in Malay but shall be translated to English) started as follows, “I already feel upset from reading comments of Malaysians vacationing in Bali first thing in the morning: ‘babi guling (roasted pork) is everywhere. Not sure (about the food)'. You are in Bali, that's their food. If you want to be sure/certain, bring along food with JAKIM halal logo from Malaysia".
She further continued in her X thread, "Suddenly viral for no reason. There are plenty of halal food options in Bali if you know how to look and don't bring the attitude of ‘eee not sure’, ‘eee kembang tekak (overly-picky or choosy about food in this context)’. Remember, you are in a Hindu-majority province. If you feel uncertain and cannot trust (the food), bring your own food.". She ended her thread with, “As a Muslim, I understand that we have a responsibility to ensure that our food is halal. But when you come to someone else's place, don't expect their halal regulations or sensitivity to be the same as in Malaysia. The world does not revolve around you, so it's up to them if they want to sell babi guling.”
In case you didn't know, babi guling (roasted pig) is a traditional pork dish from Bali. Babi guling – which directly translates as “turning pig” as it is roasted on a hand-turned spit over an open fire is popular in Bali as most of Bali's population practices an off-shoot of Hinduism that has been integrated with local spiritual traditions. This means that pork normally forbidden in Muslim countries is green-lit to be consumed here. It is so popular in Bali that there are casual open-air restaurants scattered throughout the island that specialize in babi guling.
So it is no wonder that babi guling is common in Bali; I can understand Ms A Madzlan's frustration with some Malaysians who complain about babi guling and how they are not sure about the halal-ness of food served in Bali. From my point of view, there are 3 options for those Malaysians in question:
- Bring your own halal food from Malaysia (with the JAKIM logo) when you are vacationing in Bali (like what Ms A Madzlan said). Maggi is still halal after all. This way you can be sure that your food is halal and safe to be consumed by you.
- Travel to Muslim-majority provinces like Acheh if you plan to go to Indonesia for a vacation. This way you can find plenty of halal eateries.
- Stick to fast food. There are fast-food chains such as McDonald's in Bali and they are certified halal. If you are uncertain about Balinese cuisine when you are in Bali, then just stick to eating halal fast food throughout your entire trip.
Don't go to another person's country and then demand the food to be the same as your home country - the world doesn't revolve around you. Plus, it is disrespectful. Imagine this - how would you feel if I went to your house and you cooked a dinner for me, I then proceeded to complain about how your food is NOT made in the way I make it. You will surely feel offended, right?
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