Food trucks to bid for world record

Working together: (Front row, standing from third left) Vogiatzakis, Jalilah and Kang at the pre-event announcement at Menara Star in Petaling Jaya.

PETALING JAYA: Star Media Group (SMG) has partnered SME Mobile Truck Association (SMEMTA) in an attempt at the Guinness World Records for the World’s Largest Mobile Truck Rally to be held in March.

The SME Mobile Truck Revolution 2020 event, slated for March 21 and 22 at the Bukit Jalil Stadium open carpark, is SMG’s way of supporting the industry and Malaysian entrepreneurs as a whole, said its chief executive officer Andreas Vogiatzakis.

“It is part of a long history of support that SMG has always given to Malaysian entrepreneurs, whether through the news and stories we cover, or the awards we organise to recognise the best SMEs.

“Aside from Kuali, The Star, mSTAR, Suria, 988 and Kuntum will all be actively participating to ensure this event is a success.

“We have already established that food obsession is a national affair, which is why we are excited to partner with SMEMTA to have the World’s Largest Mobile Truck Rally, ” he said at the pre-event announcement at Menara Star yesterday.

Present were SMEMTA president Datuk Wira Jalilah Baba, event organising chairman Datuk Michael Kang, SME Association of Malaysia council member Datuk Grace Chia, association members and sponsors.

SMEMTA is a sub-association of SME Malaysia, which has 13 branches nationwide.

Jalilah meanwhile said with government agencies providing plenty of support to food truck entrepreneurs, it was common to find many world-class standard food trucks in Malaysia.

“As proven in many countries around the world, food trucks are a viable business that encourages entrepreneurship and provides job opportunities.

“In Malaysia, we expect it to continue. The growing trend can positively contribute to the growth of the economy, ” she said.

Jalilah added that the key objective in holding the event was to encourage food truck entrepreneurship development in Malaysia, promote the business as a viable option for young graduates, and drive the food truck business to eventually become one of the key SME industries in the country.

The carnival-like event is expected to attract more than 150,000 visitors and more than 300 mobile trucks that include food and non-food trucks.

Chia said in order to qualify for the Guinness World Record, the food truck operators must cook the food in the trucks.

“Drink trucks will not be counted and neither will food trucks that only serve pre-cooked food, ” she said, adding that all the food trucks participating at the event have received the Bersih, Selamat dan Sihat certification from the Health Ministry.