Sales rep from Sibu wins Maggi’s cooking contest in Miri, drives home Isuzu D-Max

MIRI (Aug 11): A sales representative from Sibu, Allen Lee, emerged the winner of Maggi’s ‘Jom Masak & Menang Bersama’ contest here yesterday.

The 46-year-old, also a former bodybuilding athlete, outperformed seven other finalists in the fierce culinary battle, using ‘terung asam’ (sour brinjal) as one of the ingredients in his dishes.

His feat earned him a brand-new Isuzu D-Max pick-up truck.

The other finalists, however, did not leave empty-handed as each received branded household appliances worth RM2,000.

The contest, which marked the end of the Gawai Dayak 2024, was a way for Maggi to pay tribute to the local cooks who kept the traditions alive in this year’s harvest festival.

It was also a show of appreciation by Maggi to the East Malaysian communities who had shown strong support to the brand over the past 10 years.

The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Sarawak director Matthew Dominic Barin presented the prizes at a ceremony that took place at Emart Riam here yesterday.

“Maggi has been a long-standing companion to us East Malaysians throughout the decades, giving back to our local indigenous communities through their annual charity events, to help them achieve self-reliance and independence.

“We hope to continue partnering with Maggi in supporting and advancing the culture and traditions of Sarawak for generations to come,” said Matthew in his speech.

Another ceremony was also held at the event, where Maggi donated RM15,000 to Helping Hands Penan Berhad.

For every contest entry received between May 1 and June 30 this year, Maggi pledged to donate RM0.10 to PACOS Trust Sabah and Helping Hands Penan Berhad, two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) dedicated to empowering the indigenous communities and also the women in Sabah and Sarawak.

Maggi Malaysia and Singapore business executive officer, Ivy Tan, remarked: “We are thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with Helping Hands Penan Berhad this year, creating a platform for our traditional basket weavers to showcase their art pieces while aiding their efforts to empower their livelihoods.

“I am deeply heartened by the immense tenacity of our East Malaysians, and we hope to continue uplifting indigenous locals to provide more opportunities and create a brighter future for them.”

Through unique recipes inspired by the consumers’ favourite household dishes, Maggi hoped to keep the Gawai and Kaamatan spirit alive with East Malaysians’ beloved Maggi products, while being the ally to the family cooks in delivering delicious and nutritious meals.

Also present yesterday were Nestlé Malaysia Sarawak Region general sales operation manager Lee Tsuen Fu; Emart Holdings Sdn Bhd Northern Sarawak Region head Ling Tien Beng; and Helping Hands Penan Berhad co-director Tan Wei Kheng.