1. Cultures, achievement, Festives, Food
2. Problem Statement
2.1. Does Nasi Lemak represents the identity of Malaysia?
3. Hypothesis
3.1. Nasi Lemak as a national dish plays a big role in Malaysia's national identity.
4. Operational Definition
4.1. The study of Nasi Lemak as a national dish that is based on strong association with the Malay's culture and national identify which refers to how a distinctive culture or tradition represents country or nation as a whole.
5. Research Design
5.1. Survey
5.1.1. Structured Interview
5.1.2. Respondents: 2 group of peoples
5.1.3. Total of 7 Questions asked.
5.1.4. All of the question are open-ended.
5.2. Interview Questions
5.2.1. What are the things that represent the national Identity?
5.2.2. What is Malaysia's National Dish?
5.2.3. What are the characteristics of a national dish?
5.2.4. What are your thoughts on the statement that food is a mechanism of expressing identity of a nation?
5.2.5. Based on your knowledge, what do you think when you hear or see Nasi Lemak?
5.2.6. Is there any issue on Nasi Lemak?
5.2.7. What do you feel when you see someone of different culture or nation eat/acknowledgement about Nasi Lemak?
6. Data Collection
6.1. Respondent 1
6.1.1. People, heritage and food
6.1.2. Nasi LemaK
6.1.3. Represent every part of Malaysia, 3 colors in Nasi Lemak coming from 3 different races.
6.1.4. Every culture has its own food and food is one of the main components that unite people.
6.1.5. Best breakfast, sometime served with fried chicken
6.1.6. I am very proud of Nasi Lemak
6.1.6.1. People In Business, fights for the best Nasi Lemak
6.2. Respondent 2
6.2.1. Nasi Lemak
6.2.2. Liked by many people and the icon of a nation
6.2.3. Agreed with the statement, people accept each other
6.2.4. Fatty
6.2.5. Annual Gathering to celebrate Nasi Lemak in KL. Another issue is the overspecialization of Nasi Lemak for example, burger nasi lemak and ice-cream nasi lemak
6.2.6. feeling pround and touched however get tilted when someone use Nasi Lemak to capitalize other people
7. Conclusion
7.1. Satisfied with the hypothesis therefore it is true that Nasi Lemak as a national dish plays a big role in Malaysia's National Identity
7.2. Nasi Lemak represents the culture well, the combination of ingredients is the proof of the unity of people
7.3. Food is a really good way to express one's identity
7.4. Issues that revolves around Nasi Lemak shows the significant the Nasi Lemak among Malaysian.
8. Literature Review
8.1. Food, National Identity and Nationalism; from everday to global politics, Atsuko Ichijo and Ronald Ranta , pg 24.
8.1.1. The food people eat is directly linked to where they grow up, the group they belong to and the cultural and social spaces they inhabit. In other words, food people eat and cook conveys a lot information about who they are. Hence there is a strong correlation between people's acquired taste and food preference and their national identity.
8.2. Social Identity, Intergroup Conflict, and Conflict Reduction, Pg 74-75: Definition of National Identity according to Richard et al
8.2.1. National Identity according to Richard et al is identity or sense of belonging to one state or to one nation. A person's national identity results directly from the presence of elements from the "common points" in people's daily lives: national symbols, language, colors, nation's history, blood ties, culture, music, Cuisine, radio, television. Therefore, Nasi Lemak can be considered as our national identity.
8.3. Nasi Lemak 2.0, Burger Nasi Lemak, Nasi Lemak model, an article is Sinar Harian paper "Nasi Lemak as a national dish"
8.3.1. Nasi lemak is distinct enough to be a fashion and trend in its own right, Nasi lemak is seen as lucrative and profitable to be marketed. Nasi lemak is also influential, culturally, where it can be a plot device for a movie.