As the clock strikes 11A.M., Uncle Ling Hing Kooi rolls up the shutters of Sin Han Seong Restaurant, sunlight pours into the half-brick and half-wood double-storey old shophouse, lending brightness and warmth to the interior. The ancient wooden counter is his fortress, and the small round table opposite is laden with glass beer bottles, containing not beer but homemade barley drink instead. Uncle Ling arranges...
Category: Traditional Trades
Original field stories about Malaysian craftspeople, family businesses, workshops, and traditional skills that continue across generations.
Tai Kwong Hardware
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...
Syarikat Bee Sin
Written in red on a white plaque is the trade name “Bee Sin”, as the blue shutter doors slowly open, Lim Choon Fung hangs various schoolbags and shoes over the shop entrance, then he sets up wooden stands to display school uniforms, stationery and other daily necessities in front of the shop. Hanging at the left side of the shopfront is a pastel painting entitled...