IPOH, July 16 — Over 10,000 people swarmed Kampung Sempeneh near Batu Kurauduring for a durian eating event recently, but organisers are already planning for a larger scale event next year.
Village chief Hashim Ismail, said the village, located some 100km from here, hoped to organise the event with various agencies.
“We wanted to share the King of Fruits with the people,” he said.
“At the same time, we hope to promote the village and our people can get to have a side income,” he added.
Speaking to Malay Mail, Hashim said durians served during the event totalled about 10 tonnes, all of which was sourced entirely from the village itself.
“They are all durian kampung,” he added, noting that the recent July 6 gathering was the third year the village had hosted such an event.
Although the event was slated to begin at 10.30am, eager beavers arrived from all over the country hours before the event started.
Asked on images that showed visitors leaving behind waste after eating durians that went viral, Hashim said villagers did not have problems with the matter.
“Janji semua happy (As long as visitors are happy),” he quipped.
He said the attitude of littering was something that Malaysians find it hard to change.
“But the villagers were ready to clean up,” he said, hoping that the people would mend their ways and stop throwing rubbish indiscriminately.
