Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s push to get households growing their own food got a fresh boost on Sunday as 80 Sabah ethnic dishes were featured in conjunction with Radio Television Malaysia’s (RTM) 80th anniversary celebrations held at Imago Shopping Mall.
“This programme is not just a food festival but also brings an important message about the Kebun Dapur initiative being championed in our communities today,” said State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar, who officiated the 80 Menu Sabahan special programme hosted by RTM Sabah.
“Many of Sabah’s traditional menus featured today would not be complete without fresh ingredients from the Kebun Dapur. This is the uniqueness of our heritage food … fresh, authentic and close to nature,” he said.
He said his Ministry fully supports the programme as all products on display were derived from local agriculture, fisheries and livestock, reflecting a natural partnership between his Ministry and RTM in marking the national broadcaster’s eight decades of service.
The Kebun Dapur, which promotes the growing of food plants around the home using ingredients such as lemongrass, turmeric, chilli, pandan, wild vegetables, sea grapes, bambangan, kampung greens and local herbs, is central to sustaining Sabah’s traditional food culture.
Jamawi said the practice is not only practical for families facing rising living costs but also supported the nation’s food security agenda.
“If Kebun Dapur continues to be empowered, especially among the younger generation, it will not only help preserve traditional food heritage but also educate the community on the importance of community farming and a sustainable lifestyle,” he said.
He noted how the older and younger generations cook side by side at the respective ethnic association booths during the programme.
“This is the best kind of relationship, where the older generation guides the younger ones to keep these food traditions alive.
“Without the older generation teaching, these traditions and traditional foods may disappear,” he said.
He also called on RTM to use its reach to promote Sabah as a gastronomic tourism destination, particularly in conjunction with the upcoming Visit Sabah Year.
“Traditional food is not just a dish but a story about the culture, customs and identity of a community passed down through generations,” he said.
Meanwhile, RTM Sabah Director Mohd Yusni Mohamed Ali said the programme is a deliberate and symbolic initiative, with all 80 traditional dishes arranged in the shape of the numeral 80 to mark the national broadcaster’s eight decades on air.
He said the dishes represented the culinary traditions of Sabah’s many ethnic communities including the Kadazan, Dusun, Murut, Bajau, Iranun and Bisaya, among others.
“RTM is not just a broadcasting organisation but is part of the lives of Malaysians for 80 years,” Mohd Yusni said.
“The many stories, cultures, voices and identities of our communities have been captured and delivered through RTM radio and television from generation to generation,” he said.
He said the programme also serves as a platform to promote Sabah’s ethnic food heritage as a tourism product with wider potential, in line with Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Sabah 2027 aspirations as well as efforts to strengthen the local agrofood sector.
“Food is not just a dish on the dining table but a medium that can unite communities, introduce cultures and elevate the heritage of a people so that it continues to be valued and preserved by future generations,” he said.
Also present were Assistant State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Ruslan Muharam, among others.
