Poll to decide Malaysia's national fruit

KUALA LUMPUR — The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security of Malaysia is proposing that the Department of Statistics Malaysia conduct a nationwide survey to gather public views on the choice for national fruit.

This will provide the government with a reference point before deciding which fruit should get the title, says Chan Foong Hin, deputy minister of agriculture and food security.

Currently, Malaysia does not have an officially recognized "national fruit".

Replying to a question on Tuesday on the option of a national fruit in Dewan Negara, or the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia, Chan said the ministry has so far received two applications: one from the Durian Manufacturer Association nominating the durian, and another from the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board nominating the pineapple.

"The government will not directly select one over the other, as all fruit industries must be treated fairly. Therefore, we propose conducting a survey so that the people can vote for their preferred national fruit," he said.

He explained that the survey aims to comprehensively understand the people's choices and analyze the factors influencing their preferences — including national identity, cultural value, popularity, and economic value.

He cited the example of India which chose the mango as its national fruit, while Bangladesh selected the jackfruit.

When asked by Sin Chew Daily when the nationwide survey would commence, Chan later clarified that the Agriculture Ministry is leaving the exploratory work to the Department of Statistics, and that the initiative remains at a very preliminary stage.

SIN CHEW DAILY, MALAYSIA