While many may view it as an ordinary snack, for the good folks in Tanjung Malim, pau holds special significance. This humble treat is a cherished product that has prominently featured in Perak’s tourism calendar for the past seven years.
Last weekend, the Pau x Muallim Recreation Festival 2024 celebrated and showcased the distinctive heritage of pau, which has been synonymous with the Muallim district since 1926 – so much so that it is fondly known as “Pau Town”.
“With 2026 marking the 100th anniversary of pau here, its legacy continues to thrive. The festival serves as an excellent platform to promote Muallim as a unique gastronomic tourism destination,” district council president Mohd Ikram Ahmad said at the event launch on Saturday.
He said the festival, organised in collaboration with Perak Tourism, was the third iteration since 2017, and that it would be held on a larger scale in the coming years.
Among the vendors was Surdi Maris, the owner of Pau Lagend. The 72-year-old has been selling this steamed delicacy in Tanjung Malim since 1986, and continues to uphold the traditional method of making pau by mixing the flour for the dough with his hands.
“I’m used to kneading the dough by hand, and I use wheat flour and also make the fillings myself,” he shared. “I sell over 100 pieces of pau daily, while on weekends I can sell even more, thanks to the presence of visitors.”
Surdi sells his pau – which comes with five fillings, namely chicken curry, beef curry, black beans, kaya and coconut – on Jalan Besar from his trusty motorcycle.
Meanwhile, Behrang assemblyperson Salina Samsudin said this year’s festival highlighted the concept of “healing”, thanks to the chosen location by the banks of Sungai Bernam, where visitors could enjoy pau and coffee while relaxing in a natural atmosphere.
The event was also packed with a variety of exciting activities, including an aerobics session, treasure hunt, state tourism exhibition, and e-game tournaments.
Visitors were able to buy handicraft by local entrepreneurs, enjoy pau-making demonstrations, and participate in a “guess the pau weight” contest – as well as the crowd favourite Spicy Pau Challenge!