Sarawak tuak industry pushes for licensing reforms, global recognition

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Karen (left) shares her points of views with other participants at the dialogue session.

KUCHING (Sept 19): The Sago Group and the Culinary Heritage and Arts Society Sarawak (CHASS), co-organisers of the Borneo Tuak Festival (BTF), have submitted the tuak industry’s key concerns to the Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts.

Among the primary issues highlighted were licensing challenges, the need for a robust ecosystem to support rural brewers and cooperatives, health and safety standards, access to scientific knowledge, research and development, and the creation of proper marketing platforms.

These findings were compiled and submitted to the ministry yesterday, following the closing of the three-day festival, held in collaboration with the Unesco Creative Cities Network (UCCN) Kuching, on Sept 16.

Sago Group managing director Ehon Chan said the ‘Tuak Manifesto’ dialogue session marked a significant turning point for Sarawak’s locally produced craft beer industry.

“This is the first dialogue and we envision for many more dialogues in future, particularly involving the brewers among the rural communities,” he told The Borneo Post.

During the session, Chan identified licensing as the central challenge for the industry, with discussions including international case studies from Bali and Australia offering guidance.

“The idea of small-batch licensing, health and safety regulation, and collaboration with larger players can help balance traditional practices with modern commercial needs.

“This is not just about brewers but about creating an industry that supports entire communities, from rural farmers to young entrepreneurs,” said Chan.

Participants also discussed the importance of establishing a strong ecosystem to support rural brewers and cooperatives, which could be achieved through collaborations between farmers, brewers, and government agencies.

Such partnerships, Chan noted, would ensure that the tuak industry grows sustainably and inclusively.

“They also voiced out the needs for enhanced access to research and development, as well as in creating platforms to market and distribute the tuak products so that it could become part of Sarawak’s global gastronomy footprint.”

Chan emphasized that this initiative would not only unlock economic opportunities but also help preserve cultural heritage, benefiting rural communities.

“It’s about preserving cultural heritage, supporting rural communities, and creating new platforms for entrepreneurship, all while ensuring that traditional practices are respected and preserved,” he said.

“Through proper building infrastructure such as a fermentation and distillation institute or creating the Brewers’ Associations, we can elevate the industry responsibly, while ensuring that everyone, from small-scale brewers to larger producers, has the tools and support they need.

“We can bring tuak and ‘langkau’ to the world stage, generating new opportunities not just for brewers but for Sarawak as a whole through collective action,” Chan added.

Also present at the dialogue session was UCCN Kuching strategic director Karen Shepherd.

In a separate statement, Sarawak activist Peter John Jaban praised the festival as a model of solidarity.

“With participation from all races and religions, the festival showed that culture, enjoyment, and respect can harmoniously coexist.

“In these past three days, as we’ve celebrated, laughed, and shared in the richness of our heritage, I’ve found myself deeply reflecting on what it truly means to be a Sarawakian.

“We are a living, breathing testament to resilience, diversity, and unity. With that pride comes a profound responsibility – a responsibility not just to carry forward the traditions of our ancestors, but to nurture them, to protect them, and to help them grow.

“Our culture is not a relic of the past; it is the heartbeat of our present and the lifeblood of our future,” he said.

Peter noted that the festival attracted a diverse crowd, including locals, foreigners, and people of mixed backgrounds, including Muslims of mixed parentage, all showing their support for local brewers.

“Sarawak has the opportunity to show the rest of Malaysia and the world what real unity in diversity can do – we are the living proof of what unity truly means in a multicultural, multi-religious society,” he said.

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