New Zealand PM praises Khairul Aming’s efforts in popularising Malaysian food in official letter after breakfast, cooking lesson in KL  

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has sent an official letter of appreciation to Malaysia’s renowned cooking influencer and entrepreneur Khairul Amin Kamarulzaman, known as Khairul Aming, following their recent meeting.

In the letter, dated September 16, Luxon expressed his gratitude to Khairul Aming for hosting him during a local breakfast at Hidang Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur as part of his official visit to Malaysia.

“It was inspiring to learn of your story, from small beginnings making cooking videos during the Covid-19 lockdowns to your current ventures today, including your much in-demand sambal,” Luxon wrote, as shared by Khairul Aming in a post on social media.

“The New Zealand tourism industry certainly appreciates your efforts!”

The prime minister also thanked the influencer for a cooking lesson where he learned how to make “roti jala” and “cendol.”

Khairul Aming’s meeting with the New Zealand prime minister took place during Luxon’s three-day visit to Malaysia, as part of a token of appreciation from New Zealand for Khairul Aming’s travel to the country to produce cooking videos.

Commenting on the meeting, Khairul Aming said, “Eight years ago, I filmed my first cooking video while sitting on the floor. Today, I have the privilege of sitting next to the Prime Minister of a renowned nation. Keep hustling, you’ll be amazed at where life can take you.”

During their discussion, Khairul Aming introduced traditional Malaysian breakfast dishes, including “nasi lemak,” “roti jala,” and “teh tarik,” and exchanged views with Luxon on topics such as tourism exchange, trade exports of halal meat and dairy, and nature preservation.

Luxon concluded the letter by congratulating Khairul Aming on the success of his content, noting that a video of their breakfast session had garnered 8 million views on Instagram within days.

“Well done! As someone who makes the occasional foray into Instagram reels, I know that is an extraordinary achievement,” he added.

Luxon’s visit to Malaysia, his first since taking office in November 2023, ended on September 3.