When it comes to food and national pride, Singaporeans and Malaysians always have something to say, as seen by the responses to the article, “Unesco nod for hawker food? Not so fast, Malaysians tell Singapore” (Nov 6). While many readers scoffed at the remarks made by the Malaysian critics, there were those who tried to be peacemakers or are tired of the “rivalry”, calling for unity among neighbours to embrace common heritage and culture.
 

I think (Malaysian author) Ms Foong and all Malaysians should put away their blazing guns and use their energy to read and understand what Unesco’s ‘intangible cultural heritage’ is all about and stop barking up the wrong tree. First, our submission is not about food or even street hawkers, which we do not have. It is about our hawker centre culture, which is different from Malaysia’s hawker centre culture if they do have one. Second, this is not about claiming the roots of food items, nor is it even a competition about whose is better. Get this right, please. There are many countries that have submitted falconry as an item for their “intangible cultural heritage”, each have their own unique traits. Unesco recognises that there are common or similar traditions or cultures shared by countries. So Malaysia would do well to go submit their own hawker culture as an item, instead of unnecessarily fuelling a quarrel about something that shouldn’t be there in the first place. Understand what you are reading before shooting your mouth off. It is getting tiresome. JULIA D’SILVA

On point. I am a Malaysian living in Singapore and was just talking about this matter over lunch earlier.

1. Nothing is stopping Malaysian government from submitting an entry to Unesco,

2. Both countries are culturally similar and different at the same time, just like no single state in Malaysia is the same. But there’s one huge difference, Singapore is no longer part of Malaysia, it's an independent and sovereign state, which means it doesn’t need additional approval for what benefits its people and residents. So please, do a better job by doing the best for your country, not by getting salty of what your neighbours (Indonesia included) are doing. YUEN-CHI LIAN

As a food writer, (Malaysian Foong Li Mei) can't even differentiate what is hawker culture and food culture. Ours is uniquely Singapore… and not about street food. JEK KWOK KWONG

Why compare? This hawker listing is not about food taste anyway. It's about a culture that we want to preserve. VINCENT LEE

Don't really understand the comments about how it is hawker food in Singapore and street food in Malaysia. Many seem to think there's no hawker food in Malaysia? RYAN WONG

Hawkers are everywhere, lah. Just that we are way better than our neighbours in filling up forms (to submit to Unesco), or faster. Sorry, that is our strength. MATTHEW ABRAHAM SOH

Do it quickly then! Do the Malaysians know they are giving Singapore a backhanded compliment by always benchmarking themselves against Singapore. Why? Just take your own initiative and do your own things! SINN KHENG CHIA

Why is Malaysia always so sour grapes? JOEY FOO

Pride involved... a game of one-upmanship! RICHARD RAJOO

We are separate countries. If Unesco wants to recognise Singapore’s hawker heritage then so be it. Why does Malaysia want to bother about another country's achievement? PATRICK WONG

Can't the Malaysians pick their hawker culture to be listed as well? Isn't it better to celebrate together if both countries get the recognition? I don't see Malaysian hawker food as better. I just view it as a difference in tastes... like our accents. Come on, don't pick a fight over something that should not even be a concern for Malaysians. NG KWOK HUA

I think our hawker food is going through quite a bit of transformation with a lot more diversity. Quite common to see a wider variety of Chinese, Indian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and even western food alongside the more traditional fare. Frankly, this one no need to compete, lah. For example, I like both Penang laksa and our local Katong laksa. Both are unique in their own way, taste very different. How to compare? Just need to find enough space in my bulging tummy to stomach them both. BARRY CHUA

“In a report by the New York Times (NYT), Malaysian foodies were quoted as suggesting that Singapore’s hawkers were too sanitised to be able to truly compete with the grittier and allegedly better-tasting Malaysian iterations.” — I'm not sure "grittier" is what I want to hear about my food. BRYAN CHEONG

Take lah, take lah. Everything also want to take credit. The dirtier it is, the tastier the food. We have more to think about in life than debating who makes nicer food, haha. MUHAMMAD HAIRUL

Why even argue over such things? I really don’t understand... To me, it really doesn’t matter who has the title. I still need to work to feed my family. BAI SHUNMING

Hawker stalls offer upward mobility for Singaporeans who have a talent and are willing to work hard. At the same time, hawker food gives a taste of home. Michelin stars, Unesco recognition and media coverage only drive up prices and bring down quality. JEFF HO

South-east Asian cultures are so interwined, hence there are many similarities, but yet each country has its own uniqueness in food and should embrace and celebrate it. There is no “This is mine, not yours”! SOOK-CHING LAM

Another rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia. It sounds a little bit too childish. But, whether Singaporeans and Malaysians like it or not, Singapore shared a common street food heritage with Malaysia… My friends who have been to Singapore, they tell me that Singapore is dominated by Western culture. JIUN TING YONG

The Singapore Government banned street hawkers in the 1960s because they tended to be unhygienic and a sight for sore eyes. Hawker centres were started as an alternative to allow the hawkers to make a living in a controlled environment. JWEE QUEK

We, like New York City, is a melting pot. So yes, we are unique. The nasi padang here is not the same as nasi padang in Indonesia. Our bak kut teh here is not the same as what is up north though I prefer the ones in Malaysia. Having said that, too many comments are focused on which taste better. That's not the main issue. Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand all have their own unique take on hawker fare, and that in itself is good enough reason for all the countries to have their own “intangible cultural heritage”. For Malaysia to make such a noise is really unnecessary. WILSON WONG

Singapore has a hawker centre in every housing estate and they are part of the town planning requirements. Malaysian's hawker centres are spread over a wider range, maybe because Malaysia has more land. Malaysians normally drive to different locations just to find the best food. For example, Ipoh chicken hor fun, Ampang yong tau foo, Kajang satay and Penang assam laksa. So, Instead of fighting over who has better hawker centres, why not work together to promote this region as the "foodie’s paradise"? That way, we get more tourists visiting Singapore and Malaysia. LYDIA YAM

Hawker centres also help us to get to eat together regardless of race or religion. GRACIA LA REINA

Aiyah, just let us Singaporeans have some bragging rights, lah... We are already so pathetic, no heritage, no culture to really call our very own... Malaysia need not worry because soon, there may be no more hawker centres if all the so-called social enterprises squeeze and “kill off” all hawkers. FRANKIE TAN

*Comments were first posted on TODAY's Facebook page and are edited for language and clarity.