Ho Yoke Kee : Traditional Cantonese Candies
Traditional Cantonese candies embody ancient wisdom. They preserve the shape and taste of the original fruit, albeit more exquisite. Before the invention of the refrigerator, slicing fruits and vegetables to boil with sugar and then air-dry could extend their shelf life without causing wastage and make them more delicious. The Cantonese use homophones to give candies auspicious meanings, making them a must-have festive snack during Chinese New Year. Candied coconuts mean three generations living together; candied ginger slices mean longevity; candied green peppers mean attracting wealth; candied carrots mean a house full of gold and jade; candied lotus seeds mean having children; and candied horseshoes mean getting things done successfully. Traditional Cantonese candies are also used in worship as offerings to welcome wealth and blessings, hence also known as fortune candies or five-color candies.
In Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur, which used to be a dominant Chinese settlement, only Ho Yoke Kee, a long-established street vendor that has been operating for decades, is still manually making and selling traditional Cantonese candies. On one side of the stall is a steamer filled with a hill-like pile of various rice dumplings, whereas on the other side is a wide selection of traditional Cantonese candies. From 6AM to 6PM, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo Yap Nyat Foong and Chong Yoke Yean take turns looking after the stall, while the third-generation successor Ho Chee Keong is in charge of preparations.
Ho Yoke Kee was originally named Ho Dui Kee. The founder, Ho Dui, came to Petaling Street from Dongguan, Guangdong, China in the first half of the 20th century and settled down in Petaling Street, selling lotus roots and other fruits and vegetables to make a living. Facing the unsold lotus roots, fruits and vegetables, he came up with the idea of making them into candies according to the traditional method of his hometown. Later, his son Ho Yoke and his daug
Wong Mee Coffee Stall
At 4.30AM, night owls have not yet fallen asleep, the city has not yet woken up, street lights illuminate dust that has not yet been kicked up by traffic. A MPV drove slowly into the dark alley behind the Public Bank building on Jalan Tun HS Lee and pulled over aside. Uncle Wong Hoong Hon got out of the car and unlocked the fence of "Wong Mee Coffee Stall". This small plot accommodated his daily necessities. Uncle Wong turned on the lights, washed the cups and plates, boiled the drinking water, and then set up tables and chairs on the roadside. With everything in place, he sat on the stool in front of the stall, looking at the brightening sky and waiting for customers.
The rosy morning glow peeked out shyly from behind the tall buildings, and the alleys began to crowd with people. Around 7.30AM, customers flock in, filling the empty seats. Neighbourhood residents came for their daily drinks, office workers hurriedly left after eating, and travellers from afar took a rest. Long-term close friends with graying hair on their temples gathered here as usual. Everyone smoked, chatted, and spent the morning laughing and joking. When Uncle Wong's finally made it through the morning rush, he joined them until other customers show up.
The rich coffee and tea has maintained the livelihood of Uncle Wong Hoong Hon and his father Wong Mee for two generations, and the fragrant aroma lingers in their ordinary lives. Wong Mee started a coffee and tea-making business decades ago in a small shack not far from the current location, and his wife and children helped deliver it to customers in nearby shops. The busiest times every day were the tea breaks at 10AM and 3PM. Wong Hoong Hon, who was still young at that time, had to bring a tray laden with drinks and send to a dozen shops. When he grew up, he went out to work, but when his father passed away in 1987, he resigned and returned home to run the coffee stall with his mother.
Despite having relocated about 30 years ago, Wong Mee C
Handmade Bao in Petaling Street
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Catty-corner to the Ka Yin Fui Kon building at Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur, a tarpaulin makeshift roof in the alley between two rows of double-storey shophouses shelters a crude hawker stall. Billows of steam arise from the multi-tiered bamboo steamer on top of the gas stove, marking the spot of Tuck Kee Dim Sum Pau. About 60 years ago, the alley was bustling with hawker stalls selling rice and porridge, cockle noodles soup, stuffed tofu, beef brisket noodles soup, wonton noodles, chee cheong fun, fruits and so on. Along with changing times, most hawkers either moved elsewhere, switched careers, or retired. Tuck Kee alone remains operating in the same place.
The second-generation owner, Chan Kam Weng, is born in 1965, the same year the bao stall was founded. A native KL-ite of Petaling Street, he took over his father’s unnamed bao stall upon finishing middle school. As a tribute to the struggling and enduring story of his father’s migration from China to Malaysia, Chan Kam Weng named the bao stall Tuck Kee after his father, who learnt bao-making skills and set up the stall to upkeep a family with nine children.
In the past, Petaling Street was a bustling area, several families lived together in the upper storey of the shophouses. In the evening, they would come downstairs for tea and supper. Tuck Kee has its own water and electricity supply, hence no need to draw from neighbouring shophouses. Opening from 7P.M. until the wee hours, Tuck Kee sells various types of bao and dimsum, as well as making tea. During those busy times, six to seven siblings help out at the stall. Later on, the numbers diminished, Chan Kam Weng alone persisted in the business for more than 40 years. As more and more old neighbours moved out of Petaling Street, Uncle Chan had to reduce his product line and adjust business hours. Nowadays the bao stall is open from 11A.M. to 3P.M., the only items on the menu include char siu bao (barbecued po
Tai Kwong Hardware
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Towering wooden shelves stand within the unpretentious shophouse, seemingly unobstructed yet hinting at mysteries, head upstairs and find the storage place with mezzanine floors. All kinds of hardware accessories are arranged in an orderly manner, according to category, brand, and size. The yellowing labels indicate the passage of time, yet the neat marker pen handwriting remains legible. Both veterans and rookies are able to quickly and accurately locate products that customers need. The inventory is a mix of new and old items, such as old-fashioned paraffin blow torch, drop-forged steel wrenches directly imported from Europe, as well as safety boots and hammers which are in high demand recently.
Tai Kwong Hardware Trading occupies a pre-war double-storey shophouse at the first section of Jalan Petaling, near the intersection with Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock. Since its establishment in 1945, there has been no elaborate furnishings, only solid wooden shelves expanding upwards due to increasing inventory, and self-built mezzanine floors which made up the third and fourth floors. The five original founders (Soo, Lee, Chong, Kim, and Tan) all passed away, currently the second and third generations are in charge, with long-serving staff of 30-40 years, including loyal employees promoted to directorship.
Hardware trading covers a comprehensive range of materials, from large hardware such as sheet metal and construction materials, to small hardware such as tools and accessories, necessary in day to day life. Due to different target markets, large hardware resort to wholesale distribution while small hardware are sold retail. Tai Kwong is among the very few companies that operate both a retail shop selling small hardware and a warehouse selling large hardware such as bronze foil and lead sheets.
The early days of Tai Kwong’s establishment coincided with post-World War II reconstruction, hardware was in high demand, the foun
Deities Procession at Yuè Shān Gǔ Miào in Kuala Kubu Bharu
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In the wee hours of the morning, a number of Kuala Kubu Bharu village residents are busy preparing a tableful of offerings in front of their house, gathering on the roadside to look around in anticipation. As the sun breaks through the clouds, drumming and firecrackers crackling fill the air, about a thousand devotees throng around Yuè Shān Gǔ Miào where the Shī Yé patrol procession begin, heading into each and every alley of the local village to shower blessings, and then the town before returning to the temple. The entire route measures about seven kilometres. Along the way, devotees kneel and pray to the deities for protection over their families, as well as exchanging incense and offerings with the procession.
The main deities of Yuè Shān Gǔ Miào are the Third Shī Yé and Fourth Shī Yé, Third Shī Yé being Kapitan Shin Kap alias Kapitan Sheng Meng Li, the Kapitan of Sungei Ujong or Seremban who was worshipped upon his demise in war; Fourth Shī Yé being Chung Lai, a commander who fought together with Yap Ah Loy and lost his life in the Selangor Civil War. As a memorial to the two late Hakka leaders who fought hard to protect the community, they were venerated in the same temple by Yap Ah Loy. Eventually a religious cult was established by the Hakka clan in Malaya, which later on spread to various settlements, watching over the development of tin mining towns.
Yuè Shān Gǔ Miào was built in 1895, overlooking and safeguarding the village and town of Kuala Kubu Bharu. Initially Kuala Kubu in Ulu Selangor, the town was founded on tin mining and rubber cultivation. Six decades ago, disaster befell the town, after consultation with deities, Shī Yé went on a patrol procession to drive away evils therefore restoring peace. Since then, the procession became a triannual event held on the 15th day of the second lunar month, with a three-day ritual ceremony.
The current president of the organizing committ
Master Yap Hong Ngee: "Eternal Love" Oil Painting Exhibition
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Ascend the escalator onto the 4th floor of GMBB creative community mall, a vast array of rose oil paintings adorn the long exhibition hall. Taking centre stage is a small artwork which consists of roses in the three primary colours and adequate blank-leaving within a gold leaf frame, entitled “Eternal Love” as written on a card placed at the bottom-right. Renowned local artist Yap Hong Ngee adopted it as the theme of his solo exhibition, spreading the power of love.
About 150 pieces of rose oil paintings bedeck contiguous exhibition spaces within the entire floor. Laid out in the style of an art gallery, the artworks are arranged in surprising ways, including forming polyptychs. A myriad of roses bloom in every corner, symbolizing all sorts of love, with white standing for purity, pink for affection, red for passion, yellow for warmth, blue for mystery. Walking around the gallery while holding a loved one’s hand is as if taking a walk in a romantic rose garden. Upon stopping to admire artworks, lean in to gently whisper “I love you.”
About 30 years ago, Master Yap started painting roses for Valentine’s day event at a Japanese department store. Even though the partnership ended years ago, he keep on producing rose oil paintings. Despite being known for Chinese ink painting of sparrows, Master Yap chose Western oil painting as the medium to paint roses which are prominent in Western countries for better interpretation. His rose paintings are by no means realistic, but rather an impression painted in the style of Chinese ink painting after close observation and fully understanding the nature of roses.
Master Yap’s painting process is quite straightforward, squeezing oil paint directly onto the canvas without sketching or using a palette, creating a vivid blooming rose in one stroke. The patterns range from swirls to ripples, unconstrained yet retaining the nuances of a rose, recognizable by the beholder.
Joss Paper House
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Standing at 21ft tall and 24ft wide, the joss paper house is built on a grand scale according to traditional Mǐnnán architecture layout, featuring ornate decorations. The frame is made of bamboo slivers tied together using paper strings, layers of vivid coloured paper are pasted as walls, balconies, and pavilions. Illuminated by colourful LED light strips, the entire joss paper house sparkles. In traditional Chinese beliefs, a deceased person’s soul would depart to the Underworld, therefore the Hokkien clan would dedicate comfortable joss paper houses to their dead relatives.
Hokkien ancestor veneration revolves around filial piety. As a tribute to deceased parents, to mark the end of the three-year mourning period, the bereaved family would engage Buddhist monks or Taoist priests to facilitate merit dedication rituals to help their ancestors achieve enlightenment. Legend has it Emperor Taizong of Tang dynasty visited the Underworld in a dream, upon returning to the mortal world he organised merit dedication rituals for departed souls to atone for past misdeeds thus achieving enlightenment. Apart from joss paper houses, there are also gold and silver mountains, servants, sedan and carriages etc. are burned as offerings.
Toh Chooi Heng from Jenjarom has almost four decades of experience in crafting joss paper offerings, expertising in joss paper houses and Jade Emperor thrones (for use in Jade Emperor birthday celebration on the ninth day of the first lunar month). He has been helping his uncle crafting joss paper offerings since he was 11 years old, mastering the skills along the way. Having attempted various unsuccessful ventures during his youth, he returned to crafting joss paper offerings. As Toh settled his mind and paid full attention to his work, he patiently crafted elaborate and intricate joss paper houses. Even though the entire process is time-consuming and production capability is limited, he insist
Pertama Electronic Services
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Power supply boards, printed circuit boards, and transistors are puzzles levels to be solved, screwdrivers and soldering irons are handy weapons, while copper wires and various spare parts are regular inventory items. To father-son duo Chiew Soon Foo and Chiew Chin Hong, repairing domestic appliances is an exciting game, to clear levels with all stars is an achievement they intently seek. From large appliances like televisions, speakers, to small appliances like rice cookers, clothes irons would all be taken apart for a thorough inspection, faulty parts are then repaired or replaced, and the appliances would be in good working order after reassembling.
Heading southwards from Klang on the Federal Route 5, passing by Jenjarom, a giant bridge over the Langat river connects to the streets of Banting. Banting is the principal town of Kuala Langat district, having developed from farmland to an agricultural and industrial hub within the past century, its main street is bustling with traffic. Pertama Electronic Services occupies a double-storey shophouse facing the main street, its predecessor being a grocery store founded by Chiew Soon Foo’s grandfather upon settling in Malaysia, hence the wooden signage bearing “Tuck Heap Huat” above the entrance.
Since his childhood, Chiew Soon Foo stayed on the second floor of the shophouse. After his grandfather passed away, his father took over the reins of the grocery store. Having completed Form Three, Chiew Soon Foo dropped out of school, working at a furniture manufacturer during the day while studying electrical and electronic repairs at night. Upon completion of his diploma, he worked at Klang for six years before returning to Banting to start his own business. In the beginning, Chiew Soon Foo took up a corner of his father’s shopfront, and went performing on-site services around neighbouring villages. He gradually made a name for himself, customers would send their app
Ko Hou Kam Herbal Tea in Mambau
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Ko Hou Kam herbal tea, the first sip fills the mouth with bitterness, yet yields a lingering sweetness once it slips down the throat, hence its name meaning sweetness after consumption. A nationwide popular beverage back in the 90s, Ko Hou Kam advertisements were aired on various television stations, and even distributed abroad. With a superfluity of health drinks available nowadays, Ko Hou Kam eventually diminishes, and can only be found at certain traditional Chinese medicine store or its place of origin – Mambau.
Mambau is a small town on the outskirts of Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. At the beginning of the 20th century, as the rubber industry flourished, large-scale plantations were developed in Mambau. The village was established in the 50s, the majority of the 200 households were rubber tappers. Due to its strategic geographical location, the rail freight route from Port Dickson pass through the border of Mambau village (now demolished), and so does the Federal Route 53 linking Seremban and Port Dickson. Before the construction of Seremban–Port Dickson Highway, Federal Route 53 is the main road leading to Port Dickson, tourists usually stop by Mambau for rest and refreshments.
Located just off the main road, Mambau Khek Yong Tau Fu may have a shabby appearance, however it is the birthplace of Ko Hou Kam herbal tea. The founder, the late Mr Kum Loong Poh, used to work in the construction industry. However, business failure due to the global economic recession of the early 1980s caused him to seek new opportunities in the food and beverages industry. In order to finance the household, Mr Kum worked long hours till the point that he suffered from health complications. After consuming a herbal tea prepared according to a prescription which his ancestors brought over from China, his condition improved. Since the herbal tea has proven health benefits, Mr Kum decided to promote it so that others can enjoy improved
Chin Chong Soy Sauce
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Kampung Lee Kong Chian in Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, is located beside Jalan Gombak heading east to Bentong, Pahang. Forking paths like palm lines led into the village, the yellow boundary walls of Chin Chong Soy Sauce enclosed hundreds of ceramic jars sunbathing in neat lines. The netting above the jars prevented entry of unwanted particles, yet unable to block the delicious aroma of soy sauce from spreading in the air.
Under the hot sun, Uncle Ng Chui Chong removes the lid of the soy sauce jar to yield a rich brown liquid with a slightly viscous texture. The first step of producing naturally brewed soy sauce is to soak and cook soy beans, then coat with flour to form a starter culture. Forming the starter culture and developing the bacterial culture is crucial in brewing soy sauce, as the amino acids produced during the weeklong fermentation process is essential to determine the quality grade of the soy sauce. Then combine the starter culture and brine in a ceramic jar, expose to direct sunlight and continue to ferment for three months.
Soy sauce craftsman plays the role of a vessel’s captain in determining to which direction the soy sauce’s flavour and quality should be heading, precisely controlling each step of the fermentation process to ensure the final outcome meets satisfactory standards. In Kuala Lumpur, there are only a handful of experienced craftsmen currently still active in the industry, Uncle Ng being one of them. During his youth, he worked at a large-scale soy sauce manufacturer for 12 years, began toiling before dawn, carrying burdens over 100 kilograms on the shoulders, accumulating precious experience and mastering the art of brewing soy sauce.
Having left his former employer, Uncle Ng chose Kampung Lee Kong Chian, a Chinese settlement of about 300 households, to start his own business. The village occupying 30 acres used to be a plot of coconut trees opposite Lee Rubber Manufacturing in Kuala
Lady Rubber Tapper
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Rubber trees stand tall and straight in neat rows, bright rays of the morning sun shine through the leaves. Madam Chong Sew Cheen stoops slightly to score a rubber tree with the pull-type rubber tapping knife in her hands, milky-white latex sap flow downward the diagonal cut. Madam Chong inserts a metal spout to allow the latex to drip into a collection cup held in place by a galvanized wire.
In the 20th century, there was a massive boom in rubber trade, Malaya became the world's largest producer of natural rubber, which attracted swarms of British capitalist investors. As Malaya gained independence from British rule, plantations were divided and sold upon British capitalists leaving the country, several locals spent their hard-earned money to buy over and became smallholders. Mambau, where Madam Chong resides, was mainly consisted of rubber plantations. At eleven years old, she followed in her mother’s footsteps to tap rubber at a British-owned plantation. Over the next six decades, she moved around to work under different smallholders.
The rapid economic growth since Malaysia’s formation led to urban sprawl, property developers acquired plantations in Mambau and surrounding areas to build new townships such as Seremban 2 and Bandar Sri Sendayan. In order to sustain a livelihood, Madam Chong had to work at remote Malay reserved lands, making daily trips alone via motorcycle for about twenty minutes, passing by residential and commercial properties which used to be rubber plantations, to reach her current workplace.
The switching of workplace brought on changes to Madam’s Chong working mode, where she now rents rubber trees from the landowner for a fixed monthly fee, and she is free to arrange her own working hours and workload. Due to the amount of latex sap produced by rubber trees being limited, she divided the six-acre plot into two patches to be tapped alternately, the downscaled working area means tha
Golden Horse Bakery
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Tear open the white packaging with red printing of a horse standing amid the glow, nibble on the soft vanilla cream bun, it brings back sweet childhood memories. Golden Horse Bakery in Semenyih has been producing handmade traditional breads and buns since 1981, feeding generations of the local population. The most popular item is cream bun, followed by coconut bun and oven-dried bread (roti kok). The breads are not only sold in the bakery itself, but also supplied to nearby grocery stores and traditional coffee shops, a familiar favourite of those born and bred in Semenyih.
40 years flew by, Semenyih has developed from agricultural plantations into a township, yet Golden Horse Bakery retained its original facade. Upon opening the cream-colored folding shutters, breads and buns filled the wooden racks and shelves in sight. In the other part of the shop sits a large wooden workbench, on which countless bread were made and decorated. A shared space for both production and retail was the idea of the founders, who made the wooden furniture with their own hands. The original packaging and recipes are also passed down, including how to make the cream bun fillings and coconut bun fillings.
The current proprietor of Golden Horse Bakery, Lee Boon Kit, is born into a family of bakers. His grandfather ran a bakery in Tampin, Negeri Sembilan, and most of their relatives are also bakers. In 1980, his aunt got married in Semenyih and invited her brothers (Lee’s parents and uncle) to establish a joint venture, hence Golden Horse Bakery came into being. As Lee’s uncle and aunt pulled out of the business, his parents considered closing for good. Having just graduated from high school, Lee decided to take over the business. With his sisters lend a helping hand every now and then, the family managed to keep the bakery in operation.
Since childhood, Lee Boon Kit observed his family members at work, and fully understood the onerous n
Kites in Jenjarom
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Colourful kites dancing in the breeze, decorating the blue skies on a leisurely weekend afternoon. A group of kite enthusiasts gathered on a field in Jenjarom’s residential area, enjoying this traditional pastime regardless of age, ethnicity or nationality. Some of them would bring handcrafted kites, showcasing attractive appearances and excellent flying abilities.
Two middle-aged kite hobbyists turned kite maker, Ang Lian Seng and Ang Teong, have been actively flying kites at the Jenjarom field for over thirty years. In their youth, they bought handcrafted kites by others to dismantle and study the dynamics, gradually mastering the skills by imitation and improvement. They are able to produce kites of various shapes and sizes, for instance bird, butterfly, and Malaysia’s iconic Wau. Previously they barely knew each other, however they got along capitally in recent years of semi-retirement, often spending time together making kites while exchanging ideas.
The history of kites date back over 3000 years, an established traditional handcraft. Bamboo strips, twine, paper, glue; merely four materials involved, seemingly simple yet the actual procedure put a kite maker’s skills to the test. Matured bamboo is preferred due to better resilience, split open and leave to dry for three months. The dried bamboo is then peeled and cut into strips, and sawn into required lengths conforming to the target kite size. Next up is the most important step —— whittling bamboo strips, which is using a knife to trim the bamboo strip into a consistent thickness. The resulting thickness determines how far could the bamboo strip be bent. To maintain the bamboo strip’s bendability and resilience, during the whittling process one must make adjustments through close observation and sense of touch, gaining experience along the way, hence it is most time-consuming, requiring much patience and attention to detail.
Having prepared satisf
Tricycle Bao Stall in Kajang
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In the evening, a tricycle appears beside the main road of Sungai Chua heading towards Kajang town, and disappears as the skies darken, passer-bys may not notice it without paying close attention. A grey canvas is propped up to protect the stallowner and the stack of bamboo steamers from unpleasant weather. Upon lifting the lid, the mouthwatering aroma of various handmade bao wafts through the vapour.
Each morning, the preparation of ingredients, mixing fillings, dough fermenting, bao wrapping and steaming are all done by Uncle Wong Seng Kit’s own hands, with the assistance of his wife. Despite the toilsome procedures, they persisted in making and selling fresh bao every day, without leaving anything overnight. As Uncle Wong is now in his seventies, to avoid negative impact on their health, the scale of daily bao production is adjusted according to their capabilities. The quantity of handmade bao is very limited, it is up to luck whether or not one get to taste it.
Nicknamed “the Bao uncle”, Wong Seng Kit is the second generation operator of the tricycle bao stall. His father used to cook in a Hainanese coffee shop, afterwards in 1962 he started his own business as a mobile hawker selling bao. In daytime, the entire family cooperated in making bao, then in the evening they would push two tricycle stalls onto the hill of Sungai Chua and beside the main road respectively. Later at night, they would operate in Kajang town outside the two big cinemas. Due to changes impacted by township urbanization, it became impossible for tricycles to pass through elevated highways, therefore they settled to operate at a fixed location near home.
During his youth, Uncle Wong worked in Sabah. After his marriage, he set up his own machinery factory which unfortunately went bankrupt in the global financial crisis of the 1980s. Upon returning home, he got back into the production of handmade bao, whereby he decided to follow in
Flag Maker: Khoo Koh Leong
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Nested within a sky-blue wooden house in Tampin New Village in Negeri Sembilan, with festive couplets adorning the doors and windows, and a wooden plaque hanging above the entrance, is Koh Leong Handicraft Workshop. Upon entry, most of the hall is taken up by a massive workbench with various tools scattered around. The room on the left holds a rectangular table over ten feet in length, hanging near the wall are all sorts of colorful cloth; the room on the right acts as a sewing room, semi-completed pieces hang aside. Uncle Khoo Koh Leong measures cloth with a wooden ruler, draws an outline with chalk, and then trims the edges. He single-handedly produced elegiac banners, appreciation pennants, and prayer flags for almost half a century.
Elegiac banners, appreciation pennants, and prayer flags all belong to the same branch of craft, however each serves a different purpose. Elegiac banners are hung in memorial halls and hearse carriages, as well as representing hometown guilds or schools to offer condolences to the bereaved family. Appreciation pennants acknowledge individual contribution towards society, commonly featuring yellow text on a red background fringed with tassel. Prayer flags are used for adornment during deity birthdays, an offering from worshippers as gratitude for blessings bestowed, showcasing divine powers, the colors vary with each deity.
In the 1950’s, elegiac banners were handwritten on white paper, with an elegy dedicated to the deceased person and the name of the sender or association written in black ink, usually burned after the funeral service. Back then, infrastructure in Tampin were not quite developed, Uncle Khoo who was a taxi driver used to help fellow villagers in handling elegiac banner purchases from cities such as Seremban or Melaka. In the long run, Uncle Khoo began to take an interest, therefore he started his side job as a self-taught craft maker.
As living standards improved i
Teck Joo Textiles
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At eight o’clock in the morning, trees and leaves are swaying in the gentle breeze. Hale and hearty nonagenarian Mr Ho Teck Yin steps out from his wooden cottage and walks to have breakfast at a traditional coffee shop on the main street. After his meal, he reads the newspaper which he bought along the way. When the clock strikes nine, he gets to his feet again, walking towards Teck Joo textile shop located on the ground floor of Tampin Hokkien Association building to start his day’s work.
Tampin is a uniquely positioned small town, with its main street cutting across the states of Negri Sembilan and Melaka, the borderline being a lane decorated with colorful murals. Mere steps away, business and social activities are governed by different municipalities, local residents are used to making multiple cross-state trips on a daily basis. Among them is Mr Ho, who resides in Pulau Sebang of Melaka yet his shop is in Tampin.
Teck Joo textile shop is managed by Mr Ho and his wife Madam Liew Ah Chan @ Liew Kok Moi, comprising half a shoplot filled with various textiles. The shop appearance is somewhat bleak, with the peeling paint on the signboard making it unclear. Arriving on foot, Mr Ho opens the metal shutters and lets down the wooden blinds to prevent direct sunlight exposure fading textile colors. Madam Liew, who suffers from reduced mobility thus requiring a lift from a friend, comes in later accompanied by her daughter. The old couple takes care of the shop together, chatting and joking happily, until five o’clock when they go home to rest. Such is their daily routine, enjoying old age in peace.
Mr Ho is born in Seremban, but moved to Tampin with his parents at five years old. During his youth, he worked in Singapore, where he met his wife, and decided to settle down in Tampin after getting married. Mr Ho co-founded a textile shop with a few friends, however they parted ways soon after, and he set up his own s
Gunny Sack in Klang
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The pre-war shophouses along Jalan Raya Timur, a stone’s throw from Klang KTM Komuter Station, used to be a glorious business district on the south bank of Klang River. Several decades later, most businesses either moved out or closed down, among the few surviving is gunny sack dealer Yeo Hup Kee. The natural scent of jute permeates the immediate vicinity of the shop.
Yeo Hup Kee was founded during the golden era of Jalan Raya Timur in the 1940-50’s, during which the shophouses were fully occupied and businesses were flourishing, in stark contrast to recent years. Cracks and splinters are visible on the wooden plaque, the faded walls are laid bare by the wide-open collapsible gates, the high ceiling makes the interior appear spacious, the iron ventilation grille allows light and air to flow through. Glancing in through the unobstructed facade, orderly stacks of gunny sacks, jute rope, and jute cloth take up almost half the shop.
Gunny sacks are made from natural plant fibres, the intertwined strands give out a warm golden glow, and has a slightly coarse texture. They are reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable, which renders them eco-friendly. Gunny sacks absorb moisture, have good ventilation, and are durable, therefore widely used in agriculture and construction industries. Crops stored in gunny sacks stay fresh longer; wrapping plant roots in gunny sacks during transplanting helps conserve soil moisture, and the sacks will decompose into fertilizer; in construction, the base of column are wrapped with gunny sacks in the process of concrete curing.
Yeo Hup Kee deals with bulk purchase of used gunny sacks, which they clean, sort, and then export. The gunny sacks are mostly sourced from local cocoa processing facilities. The acquired sacks are shaken upside down to remove dust and debris. Holes need to be sewn up with jute rope. Sorting is carried out according to thickness, density, and size. The sacks are th
Yat Hang Trading
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“Red, yellow, and green longevity bowls. In the past, they are commonly seen in every household.” Mr Wong Gia Loke gives a run through as he walks among tall shelving units laden with ceramic ware. One must be extremely careful when navigating the narrow aisles, to prevent shattering piles of ceramic ware.” There are plenty of designs, that is a noir mille fleur, as well as landscape.” Famille rose ceramic ware have elaborate decorative patterns, which may look identical, yet each stroke is hand-painted by skilled craftsmen. What once was ordinary tableware back in the 1940’s-60’s, has now become highly sought-after collectibles, only available in century-old stores.
Yat Hang Trading, occupying a three-storey building on Jalan Tun H.S. Lee at Kuala Lumpur, has been in operation for more than 100 years. The building recessed beyond the five-foot walkway, giving it an unusual appearance compared with neighbouring double-storey shophouses. The extended space is utilised by employing mobile shelving units to display goods during business hours, while the vibrant graffiti walls on both sides add funky vibes. Fusion of old and new not only occurs on the shop exterior, but also the merchandise they stock: apart from traditional ceramic ware of all shapes and sizes, there are modern kitchen utensils, crockery, and cutlery.
Produced since the Eastern Han Dynasty, ceramic ware became widespread over the globe, generally used as food vessels, or appreciated as an art piece. The most in-demand being white ceramic bowls adorned with red rooster, banana leaves, and a pink peony, symbolizing diligence, success, and prosperity respectively. Rooster bowls gained popularity in Southeast Asia due to mass migration, where Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand soon started local productions. Common sizes range from five inches to eight inches in diameter.
The founders of Yat Hang Trading were three brothers hailing from Xinhui,
Dexon Button Shop
[English subtitles: click ⋯ > Captions > ON]
Dexon Button Shop is located on the ground floor of an old shophouse in Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. Numerous stalls in front of the five-foot way formed a barrier in which the shop is tucked away. Going through the narrow passageway leading to Dexon Button Shop, the sunlight rays which fall on the front of the shop radiates a special charm. Another captivating sight is the neat and compact wooden cabinets and the dazzling array of buttons on display inside the shop. A myriad of metallic buttons, shell buttons, wooden buttons, plastic and increasingly rare fabric buttons are procured both locally and internationally.
Apart from offering a multitude of buttons, Dexon is also a haberdashery, selling zippers, needles and thread, scissors etc. At the same time, Dexon is one of the few shops in Petaling Street which is family-run by Chinese owners to date, a 40-year-old establishment still in business today. The signboard hanging above the shop entrance became faded over the years, contrasting with the semi-circular column aside which retains bright scarlet letters. The two antique machines——a manual riveting machine and a fabric button machine, are not commonly found among haberdasheries.
The founder of Dexon Button Shop, Mr Chai Chang Nam, hails from Kuala Kangsar, Perak. During his youth, he worked at a tailor shop in Kuala Lumpur. When the shop ceased operations, he started his own haberdashery business at a corner on Jalan Tun H.S. Lee. After a fire incident, Mr Chai shifted to a half shop at No.37 Petaling Street. Later on, the property owner sold the shoplot to a hotel operator, he had no choice but to relocate. Fortunately another shop is available a stone’s throw away, thus he occupied the current premises at No.45 Petaling Street in 1992. The grand reopening was a major event, congratulatory flower stands from his peers almost filled the entire five-foot way. Mr Chai’s second daughter Villy vividly reca
Winson Burger
[English subtitles: click ⋯ > Captions > ON]
Around 7A.M., a figure could be seen riding an old motorcycle which bore a metal case, slowly heading towards the junction between Pudu Integrated Commercial Complex (ICC Pudu) and Pudu Plaza, the vehicle is then propped beside a lamppost. Uncle Chai Tsim Luk opens the metal case and starts prepping the fresh ingredients purchased daily from the market: cutting sheets of meat jerky into strips, and topping up the empty container with meat floss. The charcoal inside the portable stove is already ignited, all the necessary preparations have been made. At 8A.M., Uncle Chai starts selling charcoal-grilled meat jerky and floss buns, till noon or sold out.
Meat jerky and floss bun was a creative approach by meat jerky stores to promote consumption of meat jerky besides being a festive food during Chinese New Year. Affordable and tasty, substantial and convenient, meat jerky and floss bun was the hype of the 1960s and 70s. Hawkers seized the business opportunity and sprung up everywhere, popularizing the meat jerky and floss bun which then became a classic breakfast fare.
Firstly, slice the bun horizontally, spread with butter, and grill until crispy and aromatic. Uncle Chai carefully trims the burnt bits away, and spreads more butter before adding fillings. He piles up the meat floss and a few cucumber slices, add a strip of jerky, and then squeeze some chilli sauce or ketchup based on customer preference.
Uncle Chai hailed from Sentul, a born-and-bred KL-ite. During his youth, he worked as a movie projectionist, a deliveryman and various other jobs. In his hectic lifestyle, he fell in love with the common and affordable meat jerky and floss bun. He happened to make an acquaintance with a hawker whom he frequented, and started selling meat jerky and floss buns in the morning, after he finished his night shift at the cinema. When the cinema ceased operations, he became an itinerant hawker, with flexible work hours and l
