UNINESS – Page 10 – Together we unfold Malaysian local cultures.

The Story of Kuala Kubu Bharu Village

“Gu Mao” is the direct translation into the Hakka dialect from the Malay language “Kuala Kubu”, meaning “fortress upon the river”. Located between the rivers Sungai Kubu and Sungai Rening, after the Selangor civil war ended in the mid 19th century (1867-1874), the fortress used to defend against attack from the opposing forces (Tengku Kudin and Yap Ah Loy) remain standing, thus the namesake.

Due to the strategic geographical location and rich tin cassiterite resources, Kuala Kubu Lama was the pearl in Selangor river. Water transportation along Sungai Selangor and Sungai Kubu played a vital role in the local economy development, as it was the main channel of transporting goods, especially mined tin. The abundance of tin in Kuala Kubu Lama attracted the interests of various mining tycoons to initiate mining activity, e.g. Yap Ah Loy, Loke Yew etc. and the vast majority of Chinese mine workers were Hakkanese who came over from Huizhou, still making up 70 percent of the present village inhabitants.

The small town of Kuala Kubu Lama leaped into prosperity as Selangor’s second largest town, rivalling Kuala Lumpur in its golden era of tin mining, and was the British colonial administration centre in Ulu Langat. However, the wealthy land faced flood hazards over the years. The ancient dam upstream of Kubu collapsed in 1883, where the flood water destroyed the whole town of Kuala Kubu Lama, generally referred to as “White Crocodile” legend, which is still talked about nowadays. The former town of Kubu (Kuala Kubu Lama) eradicated by the flood is now named Ampang Pecah, meaning broken dam.

On a side note, the unauthorised changing of Sungai Kubu’s watercourse owing to mass mining and lawless excavation activity damaged the river structure and the riverbed became increasingly shallow, thus causing Kuala Kubu Lama to suffer from flash floods. In 1926, a heavy downpour once again submerged the streets of Kubu, victims of the great misfortune had to emigrate. Hence, the British colonial government relocated the town to a highland three kilometres away north of Kubu – Kuala Kubu Bharu.

After the new village of Kuala Kubu Bharu was built during the national emergency in 1948, the local residents refer to the two separate areas as ‘the town’ and ‘the village’. In the 1990’s, the new village was renamed to Kampung Assam Kumbang, attributing it to the roselle flowers.

The historical trace of a town consists of advancement and regression, old and new, destruction and establishment, diminishment and rebirth, not to mention progressing a new history. There is no harm to pay a visit, to listen to the evolution and transformation of the town as time lapses, to experience the depth of history, as well as humanity tales.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : 37.2度雜貨店 Three Seven Two Shop

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Wong Ng Kee Restaurant

Upon stepping foot in the restaurant, it is as if time stood still in the past, having accompanied Kuala Kubu residents for decades, the familiar taste of generations. Moreover, it used to be the sole restaurant in Kuala Kubu Bharu which provides banquet catering services – Restoran Wong Ng Kee. Founded for nearly 80 years, from a tiny stall selling wonton mee and porridge, to banquets bearing memorable moments of the neighbourhood’s inhabitants, although it may seem decrepit, it is a long-established name and a well-acquainted place for countless local residents.

77-year-old eldest brother Wong Siew Kei (transliteration) is the second generation heir, operating the restaurant alongside his wife and his three younger sisters. For half a century, they personally handled all matters in their restaurant instead of hiring manpower. From the preparation of ingredients, cooking and serving dishes, all are done by the five of them. In spite of their rising age, as all of them are now senior citizens, they still work hard in the restaurant by themselves. Made fresh daily by eldest brother Wong Siew Kei (transliteration) are their noodles, including marinating and roasting their signature traditional barbecued pork.

The senior Mr Wong migrated to Malaysia from China with his elder brother when he was nine years old. Initially he was in the grocery trade, after that he runs his own stall selling homemade wonton noodles. Due to the senior Mr Wong being the fifth in his family, and people from his hometown call him “fifth brother”, he named his restaurant ‘Wong Ng Kee’ (by fifth brother of Wong family). Self-taught chef Mr Wong Siew Kei (transliteration) helped his father at the stall since he was in primary school. Besides mastering noodle-making skills, after taking over the restaurant from his father, he suggested increasing the number of dishes, taking the initiative to research and develop recipes. Thus, he improved his culinary skills from books and reading materials, and even from customers’ feedback.

During the 1980’s when catering for banquets, Wong Ng Kee was quite famous. From catering to the banquets of usually six tables or more, to setting up a temporary canopy in front of the shop, they were as busy as bees. As time passed, although they no longer offer catering services, within the unpretentious interior, you may find the warm touches of the Wong family, and the silent trail of years gone by.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Beneath The Moonlight

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Kuala Kubu Bharu – Garden City

Upon first stepping foot in the streets of Kuala Kubu Bharu, looking around, sighting the two rows of shophouses sitting in the town’s main street, directly observing and feeling this rustic yet adorable place likened to a colour palette. Most of the beige cement walls were peeling off, intertwined between them are vibrant doors, window frames, and pillars. As an outsider passing through, the stories acquired here could act as a filler for past historical textbooks.

The town of Kuala Kubu Lama, which went through the ordeals of collapsed dam, disastrous floods, to currently wholly submerged, is the precedence of Kuala Kubu Bharu. She used to occupy the most strategic geographic edge, being the traffic hub of three states — besides easy access to Kuala Lumpur, northwards to Perak, and eastwards to Pahang, a compulsory passage to the renowned summer resort, Fraser’s Hill. Between the years 1923 to 1926, when the town of Kuala Kubu Lama faced flood torrents, the British colonial government intended to build the first “Garden City” in Malaysia, which will be properly planned and surrounded by greenery — Kuala Kubu Bharu.

The complete infrastructure of Kuala Kubu Bharu includes a police station, a cinema, a post office, a fire station, there is even an administration centre on the slope. Perhaps due to the frequent flood hazards earlier on, the city planner Charles Reade arranged major buildings such as the hospital, schools, clubs, and churches to be constructed on a zone higher than the river, as a precaution against the unexpected. In 1931, as heavy floods struck once again, Kuala Kubu Lama became permanently wiped out from the map. Hence Kuala Kubu Bharu, the castle upon the river, bears substantial history since its birth It symbolises rebirth and hopes of the Kuala Kubu Lama inhabitants who moved over. Originally located at Kuala Kubu Lama and subjected to the calamity, Khing Ming primary school shifted to Kuala Kubu Bharu as well.

At the present, the small town of Kuala Kubu Bharu dwells 60 kilometres away from the city, at the foot of Fraser’s Hill, an undisturbed safe haven. Adjacent to both hills and waterway, apart from Bukit Kutu and Sungai Chiling waterfalls visited by hiking hobbyists, there is also the magnificent Sungai Selangor river dam, with motorcyclists appreciating the much longed-for scenic views along the way. Returning to the town center, you may find widespread streets, orderly architecture constructions, and converged infrastructure.

Kuala Kubu Bharu, with its serene environment, well maintained colonial buildings stood the test of time and proved their historical trails, composing a tale about diminishment and rebirth since the moment of renaissance.

Text: Shu Yi & Pua Hui Wen

Ancient Guanyin Temple in Kuala Kubu Bharu

Viewing from over the top, lush green grass and hills stretch and arch, a narrow riverside passage links from the main road to a tranquil place, which is the Ancient Guanyin Temple. Situated just a few kilometres outside of Kuala Kubu Bharu, the Ancient Guanyin Temple has been based here for over a century, went through transitions, and even once left to erode by weather. Presently, the temple is surrounded by lavish trees, on its right side is a pond and a footpath, a peaceful environment with antique buildings.

Ancient Guanyin Temple of Kuala Kubu Bharu (formerly known as Yueshan Guanyin Temple) was built in the autumn of 1904. As the founder of Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang, when the venerable benevolence Beow Lean and his follower benevolence Sian Kheng, were making preparations to build the Kek Lok Si temple, Kuala Kubu Lama became a resting point during their frequent travels between Penang and Kuala Lumpur. As the opportunity arises, benevolence Sian Kheng decided to obtain a spot here to build a branch of Kek Lok Si. Due to the temple’s location in higher terrain surrounded by hills, it was named Yueshan Guanyin Temple, derived from the two words making up the word of Yue: Qiu, and Shan, meaning tall mountains. On a side note, Penang’s Kek Lok Si is located on a hill shaped like a flying crane, hence after building the temple it was named “Huock San”, both correlating to each other.

Since the Ancient Guanyin Temple opened its doors a century ago, it has undergone various changes and suffered several alterations. In 1926 when Kuala Kubu Lama was flooded, almost the entire town was engulfed. Luckily the ancient temple was built on a high slope, and remained safe alongside another mosque. They were not affected by the calamity, thus the villagers sought shelter in the temple. Afterwards, the Japanese occupation brought upon bloodshed, the villagers temporarily lived at the temple to avoid the massacre. Post-war, political turmoil caused the British colonial government to declare a national state of emergency, the ancient temple and its surrounding areas were marked as restricted areas to prevent local inhabitants from reaching out to Malayan communists. Therefore, the villagers moved the Guanyin and Buddha statues into the new village, where they constructed another temple for worshipment. The ancient temple was left to ruin, and slowly forgotten.

Until the 1980’s, the villagers found what remained of the ancient temple amidst rubble, hence a committee was set up to rebuild and develop the temple together with Kek Lok Si in Penang. Repairs were twice carried out, in 1988 and 1994 respectively. In 1994, chief abbot of Kek Lok Si, the Venerable Da Neng took over as second abbot of the rebuilt Yueshan Guanyin temple, and renamed it to Ancient Guanyin Temple.

As the saying goes, things will get better over time, to date the Ancient Guanyin Temple still maintains its original ancient appearance and valuable relics such as an ancient mortar, a copper bell, the entrance etc. The lush greenery and rippling river surrounding the ancient temple generates a heavenly vibe. Crisp bell ringing pierce the hollow mortality, bringing people back to nature, to cleanse each heart from weariness and misadventure.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Drone : Daniel Lim
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Music : Reflective Waters from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Funeral Volunteer – Mr Tan Sew Sewan

Hainanese chicken chop, Hainanese stir-fried mee, Hainanese bread are served in turn, munching slowly to feel the new scene brought on by a clash of food and beverage cultures, as well as the inconspicuous efforts of the second generation owner in contributing to the local community, all at this well-known shop of ninety odd years in Kuala Kubu Bharu – Kedai Makanan Hailam Sun Sun Nam Cheong.

Substituting grilling chicken chop with deep frying, replacing salad with peas and onion, the idea of starch sauce stemming from mushroom gravy, drenching the chicken chop, adding in a clump of familiar french fries, and ta-da! An exclusive western-Hainanese dish sure to win over taste buds is ready. This family recipe was improvised by the current owner (the second generation) Mr Tan’s father, who in the past had migrated overseas to Malaya with his fellow Hainanese friends. He used to be a chef for the British, and utilised his culinary talents to concoct the dish to suit the palate of locals, thus creating this Asian fusion chicken chop.

During that era, the veteran Chinese immigrants led a hard life in Malaya, struggling in every stage. The senior Mr Tan, who was from Wenchang Province in Hainan Island, never neglect to show brotherly affection and care towards his fellow hometowners, by receiving them in Kedai Makanan Hailam Nam Cheong (the predecessor of Sun Sun Nam Cheong), his shop in Kuala Kubu Lama. He even taught them the skills of making coffee and cooking, so that they have sufficient skills to make a living. After almost a century, Mr Tan still lives up to his father’s benevolent spirit, as he has close rapport with the local jurisdiction, he employs ex-convicts from time to time, shredding their stereotypical impressions, thus allowing them an opportunity to rehabilitate and integrate into society.

The walls of Sun Sun Nam Cheong are full with both commendation and appreciation certificates, issued by units of authority such as the police, the fire and rescue department, old folks home, and shelter homes etc. These are a token of gratefulness towards Mr Tan Sew Sewan on his good Samaritan acts, including volunteering to bury the dead. During thirty odd years, Mr Tan and a few other volunteers buried hundreds of the deceased, mostly lonely old folk, disabled persons, and the mentally ill from shelter homes.

Within the period Mr Tan worked as a volunteer, he noticed some difficulties in handling the corpses from shelter homes and old folks homes, as they were neglected by the society. They had no family or relatives to claim their remains, and it is inadvisable to store them long-term in the mortuary. In the end, these dead bodies were not properly dealt with, causing mass burial incidents and soil erosion in the graveyard after raining, which attracted wild animals, an extremely shocking situation to behold.

From the initial dread upon entering the autopsy ward, to striving for land to construct a burial ground, within the past thirty years, Mr Tan discreetly persisted to lay the departed to rest, amidst the vicissitudes as well as sentiments of life. In his possession are numerous logbooks bearing explicit records of funerals held for dead bodies, such as name, death date, location of the grave, and some photos. Sometimes he also receives enquiries from families trying to trace their long-lost relatives. Between heaven and earth, perhaps there were invisible dots subconsciously connecting yearning minds.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

Teng Wun Bakery & Confectionery

The outmoded layout of the shop, with classical glass displays on either side, coral colours contrasting the white walls, highlighting the shop’s vintage appearance. Apart from two coral red shutters, there were no conventional doors, exposing full view of the shop’s unsophiscated style. Freshly out of the oven, the kaya puffs emit wafts of aroma. For donkey’s years, relentlessly making fresh kaya puffs in-house from scratch on a daily basis, with no additional preservatives, this is what makes Teng Wun Bakery and Confectionery popular with locals and a must-try for tourists.

Forty years ago (in 1979), Hoo Jee Suan and his wife leased the shop lot and partitioned the shop front into two: on the right is a female salon managed by Mrs Hoo, whereas on the left Mr Hoo bakes pastries and cakes to sell. Husband and wife worked hard together to make a living, as life is not easy back then. In the early days of the startup, he only baked cakes and bread. The favourable kaya puffs was afterwards learned from his father-in-law who runs a Hainanese coffee shop, as a result of several improvisations, the current version of crispy and fragrant kaya puff was introduced.

In the small town of Kuala Kubu Bharu where Hakkanese made up the majority, Mr Hoo was a true-bred Hainanese who migrated southwards to Malaya when he was 12 years old, and adopted his foster family’s surname “Hoo” instead of his birth family name “Yun”. Mr Hoo was born in Kuala Selangor, but spent most of his childhood years in Hainan, China. When the liberation war broke out on Hainan Island, civilants fell into poverty, rice and cassava were their only food. As the health of Mr Hoo’s birth parents deteriorated, they entrusted his elder sister who got married in Malaysia to bring him out of Hainan Island. That was in the second year of Malaysia’s gaining independence.

Under his sister’s arrangements, Mr Hoo embarked on a vessel setting sail to Malaysia. It was perilous to travel by sea in those days, as it took about one week to disembark at Singapore, and continue the journey northwards to Kuala Kubu Bharu. Having endured hardships, he understood that survival is undoubtedly difficult, the only way to face the ups and downs of life is by being practical and self-sufficient.

The meaning behind the brand “the rising sun a scarlet spot among the clouds” not only illustrates the beauty of dawn, it also aptly describes Mr Hoo and his past 73 years.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Tenderness from Bensound

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Tricycle and Bicycle Repair

In Penang, trishaws are commonly seen on the bustling streets, especially in popular sightseeing spots. Trishaw pullers go at a moderate speed, exposing tourists to a full view of Penang’s beautiful scenery. Nowadays trishaws seem to have became a vehicle for sightseeing purposes, no longer a day-to-day transportation mode for local inhabitants. Between the end of the 1960’s to early 1970’s was the trishaws’ golden era in Penang, according to records there were more than 2500 officially registered trishaws on the roads. However, about a hundred trishaws remain in operation till now, with most of the pullers aged above fifty years. Moreover, half of them had no stable income, living in poverty, their trishaws a makeshift home.

The decline and plight of trishaws not only led to the trade eventually becoming a thing of the past, at the same time impacting the trade of repairing and producing trishaws. One by one, shops that manufacture trishaws close business, the sole remnant being Hup Huat Tricycle, a one-man-show by its fourth generation successor Mr Choo Yew Choon, striving to manage his family business. Mr Choo is also one of the few persons in Malaysia who could assemble the whole trishaw with his own hand, knowledgeable in the fields of carpentry, ironwork, and technical skills regarding bicycles and tricycles. From constructing the wooden passenger box, to welding the iron frame of the trishaw, these are common trades in immediate danger of extinction.

Trishaws are categorized by their functions, such as carrying passengers or cargo, or for operating hawker business, or selling groceries like vegetables, fruits, and breads. Through the transformational passage of time, the number of peripatetic hawkers lessened due to shifts in food cultures (hawker centres, hygienic environment) and government regulations (laws). Nevertheless, Mr Choo still receive orders for customizing new trishaws or facelifting old trishaws for ornamental usage from hotels, food and beverages operators, or even foreign tourists.

Mr Choo frankly discloses that in recent years, there has been a steep decline of orders for manufacturing new trishaws, his works are more focused on facelifts and maintenance. Maintenance and repairs range from as simple as changing tyres to as complicated as welding and remodel, to meet customization demands from customers. Besides substantial knowledge in his trade, Mr Choo also keeps a collection of small round “registration plates” assigned solely to trishaws, issued during the British colonization, akin to concurrent license plates, being a traditional feature of Penang trishaws, as well as a token of culture and collective remembrance.

In between difficulties jointly faced by trishaws and various fields related, ways to bestow legacy in maintaining and preserve these mobile antiques are worth serious attention and considerations.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Music : Flowering from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Batu Maung Cheng Choo Tze Temple in Penang

Pristine pure white ling zhi (Ganoderma mushroom) medicated liquor bottles dispersed around the entire temple, from the interior to the exterior, from the temple halls till the courtyard, from the upper beams to the handrails of staircases. Constructed along the slope, Cheng Choo Tze temple occupied its current address over the period of half a century, utilizing ling zhi medicated liquor bottles contributed by devotees as decoration materials during its rebuilding, an unprecedented style.

Due to ling zhi medicated liquor being favoured by the five deities worshipped in the temple, devotees usually contribute the medicated liquor as offerings in appreciation of advice given by the deities. The directors of the temple collected the liquor bottles under instruction by the deities, and the bottles accumulated over time. After a decade or so, when the deities manifested and proposed a fundraiser to construct a new temple, the directors realised they could utilise the liquor bottles as an environmentally friendly way of beautification. Therefore when the rebuilding project was completed in 2002, Cheng Choo Tze Temple was the only temple decorated by thousands of liquor bottles throughout Malaysia.

Cheng Choo Tze Temple is located in Batu Maung, Penang, a small town near the second bridge of Penang (Jambatan Sultan Abdul Halim). Since 1981, the temple provides altar praying services at least thrice a week, the precious medicinal herbs on the shelves are given on a charity basis to devotees in need. A unique feature of Cheng Choo Tze Temple is having no doors at the few main entrances, and therefore remains open to devotees at any time of the day, being convenient for them to pray to the deities. At the same time, the open style of the temple draws folks staying nearby to gather and chit-chat, and functions to congregate a close-knit community.

From a tiny temple on the hill which has been through relocating once and rebuilding twice, Cheng Choo Tze Temple boasts of over a hundred years in its historical trails. Every year, the blessed event of Master Nine Dragons attracts devotees from all over to join in the celebrations, as well as proactively organising various charity events during all these years in contribution to the local community, adding a touch of warmth besides ensuring continuous devotion.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Shoe Repairer

Frugality and making the best out of everything are the attitude towards life and virtues of the common people. Out of all repairing trades related to wearables, food, lodgings, and transportation, shoe repairing is the most mobile. A box full of tools and a few stools are all it takes to run the business. Due to the high degree of mobility and ease of setting up a stall, shoe repairing smiths usually choose the most crowded spots to operate their business, such as bus stops, business centres, hawker stalls, or footpaths below shophouses. Worn-out shoes acquired a new life under the mastery of shoe repairing smiths, extending their lifespan as well as reduce spending, at the same tine preserving shoes with sentimental value.

In the era of high consumption nowadays, the trade of shoe repairing are diminishing, merely a handful are still thriving. Among them is a three-generation shoe repair shop located in Jalan Datuk Ooh Chooi Cheng in Bukit Mertajam, Penang — Chong Shoe Shop. Mr Chong Choon Ping (transliteration), aged 58 this year, is the second generation owner, and has been repairing shoes at a roadside stall with his father as mentor since the tender age of 13. Following in his father’s footsteps, Mr Chong acquired precious skills, and as of two decades ago moved the roadside stall into a shop lot up to present. The shop lot was the ground floor of a pre-war building, a compact and simple space. Within sight, racks and lofts are packed with tools and shoes, neat and orderly amid chaos.

The work of a shoe repairing smith is complicated, needing to master through daily practical experience the skills of nailing, mending, patching, replacing, stitching, connecting, gluing, and alteration. Moreover, squatting at the work table for long hours dealing with hundreds of old shoes depicts an admirable spirit. The earnings of repairing shoes are meagre, therefore causing many to refuse to inherit the trade, however Mr Chong stick firmly to his operation method of small profits with high turnover. With the additional edge of his exemplary shoe repairing skills, he gained familiar customers over time. Let the shoes accompany their owners, one step at a time, to write more historical footprints.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Snow On The Hill from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Wooden Clogs Making

Wooden soled shoes, commonly known as clogs, make clip-clop sounds with each step taken wearing them, has a rich history of 3,000 years’ existence in China. The structure of traditional clogs are simple: A piece of wood as the base, creating two “teeth” on the base, then holes are pierced and tied up firmly by strings. The two wooden “teeth” are practical in humid environment where puddles formed after rain, as it is easier to step over mud, and prevents the feet from being scratched by weeds. In contrast to ordinary shoes, due to being made from wood, clogs possess the characteristics of damp-proof, non-slip, and ventilation, keeping the feet dry while reducing the incidence of bacterial growth. Hence when its popularity decline, clogs remain in demand for a few industries, such as food preparation and kitchen, farming, wet market vendors etc.

As times, nativity, and cultural backgrounds differ, various forms and diverse styles spawned, such as WenChang clogs, Japanese clogs, Mud clogs, MaoWoZi clogs etc. The classic wholly red clogs are beloved by the older generation of the Malaysian Chinese community, being affordable and durable, a must-have daily necessity. This type of generally familiar clogs are known as ChaoShan clogs. Its most distinctive feature being its bee waist sole design, and the usage of plastic piece and leather nailed into the shape of sails in replacement of traditional strings.

Located in an alley among the old streets of Bukit Mertajam, there is a shop whose master craftsman Mr Tan Yang Ling still produces handmade clogs. A crude blue tin roof houses Chuan Seng Clogs founded by Master Tan’s father, inhabiting a limited space yet fully equipped. From sawing tree trunks, planing into shape, sanding and painting, to nailing leather skin, the dozen procedures are completed by Master Tan alone.

Back in the 1950’s and 60’s was the heyday of clogs, where the supply was not able to meet demands, business was extremely thriving. With the passage of time, as the usage of rubber and plastic became more common, there were more material choices for shoe-making. Besides, the loud sounds made when walking in clogs were not complacent with the trend of modern beauty standards, and may be deemed as noise. The link between clogs and culture are only seen in folk traditions, weddings or funerals.

As lifestyles shift, the old masters in making clogs gradually retire, it is difficult to reinstate the splendour of clogs. Master Tan will be the last successor of the shop, the clip-clop of clogs may no longer be heard.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : The Beauty Of Love

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD