SEREMBAN: Reports of a "roti canai academy" being set up by the state government are incorrect, says a Negri Sembilan executive councillor.

       State youth and sports committee chairman Datuk Mohamed Taufek Abd Ghani has clarified that he only proposed a short course on making roti canai to the management of Kumpulan Akademi Yayasan Negri Sembilan.

       "I had only suggested that a short course, say three months, could be offered at the soon-to-be-completed college in Kuala Pilah and received a favourable reply.

       "The plan is to offer the programme at its hotel and culinary arts school, and not to set up a special academy just to teach youths how to make roti canai," he said when contacted on Monday (Jan 24).

       Mohamad Taufek said another reason for proposing the course was so that eateries could hire locals instead of foreign workers.

       "I was told that a roti canai maker can earn between RM2,000 and RM3,000 a month, even more if they can come up with innovative variations," he said, adding that those interested to pursue the programme will also be taught basic business management skills.

       He said the programme would be implemented jointly by his office, the Negri Sembilan Foundation, the state Harapan Youth Development Centre (Tabah), and Restoran Abang Terbang.

       Mohamad said the restaurant's Kuala Pilah outlet alone sold between 400 and 500 roti canai on weekdays and 600 to 700 on weekends.

       "Since their roti canai is popular, we will get their workers to teach our youth the art of preparing it," he said.

       Some media outlets had quoted Mohamad Taufek as saying that an academy would be set up specifically to teach youths to make roti canai.

       He was also quoted as saying that he hoped Negri Sembilan would become the first state to have such an academy.