MALAY HERITAGE EXPEDITION SET TO COOK OWN FOOD

From Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil
HOI AN (Vietnam), June 6 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian expedition to trace Malay
heritage in Southeast Asia and China over 25 days anticipates difficulty getting
"halal" food readily as it begins to traverse Laos.

As the Muslim community in Laos is only 0.01 per cent of the total
population of 6.8 million, it would be difficult to find restaurants serving
"halal" food, said convoy ambassador for Laos, Zainon Hassan, of the Jejak
Warisan Jawi II (JWJII) expedition on four-wheel-drive vehicles.

He said the convoy was expected to take four days winding through mountains
and suburbs in Laos.

"There is only one halal and popular restaurant in Vientiane, which offers
Indian Muslim food. We will have to cook our own food during the rest of the
journey," he told Bernama.

Convoy leader Mohd Tarmizi Ahmad Sani had advised the participants to
prepare as much food as possible.

Meanwhile, technical assistant Salman Farisi Samsudin of University Kuala
Lumpur (UNIKL) said preparations had been completed to travel through Laos and
the two other countries, China and Myanmar. The expedition has already covered
Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Multimedia University student Azfar Jaafar said he was informed that the
journey through Laos would include visits to rural mosques and villages.

Convoy mechanic Tarmizi Abdul Wahab said it was planned to service all the
vehicles in Vientiane, once they had logged 5,000 km.

He said that in Laos, the participants would be advised not to use the
vehicle air-conditioners although the weather was hot.

The JWJII is organised by Majmak Budaya and Warisan Jawi as well as Putra
1Malaysia Club and supported by the Ministry of Information Communication and
Culture.
-- BERNAMA