‘Who eats rendang with crispy chicken?’ – Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: The issue of Malaysian participant Zaleha Kadir Olpin who was eliminated from the MasterChef UK programme recently, has caught the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

In his Twitter account yesterday, Najib sarcastically posted the comment: “Who eats crispy chicken for rendang? #MalaysianFood,”

He also uploaded a photo of the dish.

Zaleha’s elimination from the programme has sparked heated debate among netizens who defended the 48-year-old participant.

In the programme, the judges criticised the dish prepared by the former accountant, now living in Bristol, saying the chicken was not crispy and its flesh did not fall off the bones.

National celebrity chef Chef Wan, also went on his Instagram account to defend Zaleha and blasted the judges.

He said the judges should understand the process of making nasi lemak and the real taste of the popular Malaysian dish.

On her Instagram account, Zaleha said although she was disappointed at not going on to the semi-finals, she would still defend the traditional way of cooking the dish.

The mother of two also uploaded the last dish she cooked up in the MasterChef UK programme, saying the experience would always remain with her and she appreciated the support given to her throughout the programme.