PETALING JAYA, March 5 — Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) has issued a statement explaining the spelling of "kuetiau” which had caused a stir on social media.

It stated that the official spelling of the popular flat rice noodles that caused a social media stir after it was shared on the organisation’s social media — was actually not something new.

"Kuetiau” was incorporated into the second edition of the Kamus Dewan in 1984 as part of the effort for uniformity of spelling to be used in an official context.

"DBP will continue to spread awareness on other terms and their spellings so that more will appreciate our national language,” read the statement.

While some Facebook users were okay with the new spelling, others flooded DBP’s page to voice their displeasure.

One user wrote that many would need time to digest the spelling of kuetiau as it is a foreign word compared to the former spelling of koay teow.

Another user, Alena Lau, wrote that as long as the noodles were delicious, any spelling of the noodles would do.

"If kuetiau is the new spelling, will other food spelling such as mihun be changed next?” Fitri Al Amin wrote.

Some also took to social media to joke that the kuetiau spelling sounded like meteor.

"My Indonesian friend thought I was talking about meteor, but then realised I was talking about kuetiau as both word rhymes,” he said.