Chinese New Year eve family bash

 

“Remember to wear Red!” I heard Yeen tell her son, Ben, as she reminded him about the family dinner being hosted in their home on the eve of the Chinese New Year.

 

All dressed in shades of Red for the family
gathering which kicked off with the Lo Hei dish

In Chinese culture, Red is considered the most auspicious colour that symbolizes fire, joy, vitality and prosperity as it is believed to be a magnet for good fortune. This colour is prominently used during Chinese New Year and weddings, not only to attract good fortune but also to ward off evil.

 

A Chinese New Year tradition is Red packets or hong bao, filled with lai see or fortune money presented by married people to kids, singles and elders, with good wishes for the year ahead. [P.S. This is my favourite CNY tradition!]

 

According to the Chinese zodiac where each year is represented by an animal in a 12-year cycle and in 2026 the Chinese were gearing up to usher in the Year of the Horse.

 

A sketch in the image of a horse
 as a guide to design our salad platter
 

With this in mind, a great deal of thought and planning went into creating a Yee Sang platter designed in the image of a horse (face).

 

Yee Sang, the Cantonese phrase which literally means raw fish, is a salad dish created by four local chefs in Singapore as a symbol of prosperity and good health for the Lunar New Year back in 1964 when Malaysia and Singapore were still one country – Malaya.

 

It was a dish designed for businessmen who wished to toss the salad to great heights, an act which is believed to augur well for greater prosperity and wealth in the coming year. As such, this activity is known as Lo Hei or prosperity toss!

 

Originally, Yee Sang was eaten on the seventh day of the first month in the new lunar year, known as Yan Yat (Cantonese for ‘Human Day’ traditionally celebrated as the day humans were created or ‘everyone’s birthday’) but now, due to its popularity, many restaurants serve Yee Sang throughout the festive season. 

 

Dexter and Alexandria with festive
bites on a Tray of Togetherness

Now families who celebrate Chinese New Year at home prefer to draw upon their creativity to design this salad platter – a task often taken as a challenge – to present it as the first dish or appetizer, at family gatherings.

 

An online search for horse-image-yee-sang designs provided our chief cook, Yeen, with the inspiration which guided her to fine-tune her design in her choice of colours, and in turn led to the shopping for the appropriate vegetables/fruits/ingredients.

 

The dinner menu was planned in partnership with Auntie Polly who would prepare and contribute her dishes to compliment the spread for our family dinner.

 

Traditionally, Chinese New Year is a serious time of feasting for Chinese families especially for folks whose forefathers arrived in a foreign land with very little and had carved out a living from very humble beginnings.

Teochew braised duck prepared by
Aunty Polly in grandmother's recipe

In those early years, working-class Chinese lived humbly throughout the year and the Chinese New Year was the only time of year to have a taste of real meat.

 

A tradition continues to this day when families will treat themselves to feasts that feature festive specialties prepared with high-value ingredients and of course, meat dishes made with pork, poultry and fish, in dishes described with auspicious names.

 

While bitter-gourd was frowned upon as a new year dish due to its name in Chinese, fu-kwa which sounds inauspicious, many forward-thinking Chinese have come up with a dish using this ingredient but gave it a more auspicious name as ‘sweet gourd.’

 

Malcolm wearing his Red jacket!

When the humble tofu was served, this ingredient was usually deep-fried in cubes or rectangles and given a more glamourous name like, ‘golden bricks.’

 

I am pleased that my mother and her sisters not only inherited our grandmother’s recipes but have also mastered the art of preparing grandma’s famous Teochew braised duck (Auntie Polly) and warm Cantonese egg pudding (Auntie Sylvia).

 

I remember how grandma used to prepare her Teochew style braised duck or Lor Ark, for the family’s Chinese New Year reunion dinner. As a Cantonese lady who married into a Teochew family, she brought her special touch into creating a recipe that is unique and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.  

 

This dish was one of the staples at the family reunion dinner and not just one bird but at least three or four were prepared to satisfy the large family including their sons-in-law and families who joined in this annual traditional family dinner.

 

Putting the final touches to
the Yee Sang salad platter

This year, when Auntie Polly – one who had mastered the skills to prepare grandma’s Teochew braised duck – volunteered to prepare this dish, we eagerly anticipated this special treat for our dinner together in Sydney.

 

One food item that most Chinese will agree on for Chinese New Year feasts must be whole prawns because in Cantonese dialect, the word for prawn is “Ha” which sounds like “ha-ha,” laughter, so prawns represent joy, laughter and a lively spirit. 

 

Mushrooms are considered highly auspicious as symbols of longevity, resilience, and the hope of new opportunities. They are staples during Chinese New Year celebrations to bring good fortune, health and prosperity.

 

I observed Yeen as she prepared a rich gravy made with dried scallops, braised mushrooms and black moss to drizzle on top of a platter of broccoli florets.

 

Malcolm, our most
well-dressed satay man!

Black moss or fatt choy may look like strands of hair but are used in Chinese New Year dishes for its auspicious name in Cantonese which sounds like, prosperity.

 

She also prepared marinated tender pieces of chicken on skewers, ready to be grilled like satay, to be eaten freshly-cooked with a peanut sauce dip.

 

As the guests should arrive ahead of dinner time, the lounge, dining area and balcony were being readied with chairs, glasses, crockery and cutlery, to dine buffet-style.

 

She also prepared a beautiful crystal Tray of Togetherness, to serve festive bites like pineapple tarts (in rolls), kueh bangkit, fan-folded love letters and crispy mini spring rolls stuffed with dried prawn sambal, when the guests arrived.

 

Aunty Polly [Right] with Eva
who made these pineapple tarts

Yeen was putting the finishing touches to her Yee Sang platter in the horse design (in Red!) while I was just an observer. We were focused on getting the shape of the horse’s mane to appear like the horse was in motion when Malcolm came to join us.

 

When I turned to look at him, I literally jumped up in surprise because he effectively shocked me with his outfit, a jacket in shimmering Red brocade worn over his shorts and T-shirt!

 

Yes, he had the right dress code colour but he was rather overdressed for a family gathering held in his own home. His wife was familiar with his crazy sense of humour but he only laughed at my reaction and told me that he has similar jackets in other colours which he would change into during that evening.

 

Ahdoi! This reminded me of Chinese wedding banquets when the bride would change into several glamourous gowns at various intervals during the dinner. But as the blushing bride, she had every right to do so on her Raja Sehari day.

 

Ready to Lo Hei, do our prosperity toss!

Malcolm certainly got our full attention when he impressed us with his wardrobe-change of attention-grabbing jackets. He first startled me with Red. Sometime during the evening, he changed into a glittering Golden jacket and finally into bling-bling White.

 

After getting all the compliments and comments from his guests, he decided to change back to the Red jacket because it was Chinese New Year. Tasked to grill the skewers of chicken satay, Malcolm was deemed to be the most well-dressed satay man ever.

 

Our dinner with 12 people, me included, kicked off traditionally with the Yee Sang prosperity toss. After everyone had admired the creative design, the salad platter was tossed together (the higher, the better!) with the loud chanting of well wishes, especially for good health and strength for everyone.

 

Michael and Dexter, able to film while tossing!

After the salad platter was cleared away, the dishes arranged on the table included Teochew braised duck, pork trotters in black vinegar, mushrooms and black moss with broccoli, cold whole prawns, platters of noodles dotted with plump prawns (deshelled) and skewers of satay with a side of satay sauce. Steamed white rice was also available for those who wished to have it.

 

In the Cantonese tradition, particularly for the reunion dinner, food should be served in generous portions so that the leftovers will symbolize, abundance. This augurs well for the family and future generations who will be bestowed with plenty of blessings.

 

Whole plump prawns were featured in
our dinner spread
 

The buffet-style meal allowed us to move around to chat and catch up with each other, especially among those who have not met for a long, long time. It was good to reminisce about grandmother’s recipes and growing up in grandfather’s house, among other family topics in our shared history.

 

Meanwhile, the music and karaoke player was on and someone insisted that the English songs should be replaced with Chinese New Year songs to match the festive mood. They managed to find some Chinese songs but these were, however, not quite the Chinese New Year music we sought.

 

I am unsure what happened in the switching of music channels but the next time I tuned in to the music, I recognized it from the Roger’s & Hammerstein classic, The Sound of Music.

 

Food are served in generous portions so that
there will be leftovers = abundance

Most of us have watched this movie countless times and not only memorised the song lyrics but were also familiar with the characters and know parts of the dialogue too.

 

It was amusing to observe that many turned their attention to this old show and were singing along to the songs, having fun watching this film especially as it has been digitally restored with improved clarity.

 

Meanwhile Chinese New Year eve celebrations in Malaysia will go on into the wee hours where traditional Chinese will welcome the new year at the stroke of midnight. In Sydney, however, the following day was a work day so we had to call it a night for those who needed to get up early for work on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

 

The giving of lai see in hong bao,
is my favourite Chinese New
Year tradition!

Soon as the guests had left, we tidied up the house. Following grandmother’s tradition, Malcolm got to work revving up the vacuum cleaner and reminded his son that this task should be done before midnight as there will be no sweeping or vacuuming on the first day of the Lunar Year.

 

We (later) saw from videos shared by family members in cities like Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru, how their night’s peace was shattered by thunderous explosions of fireworks set off at midnight (by neighbours!) in an annual tradition to usher in the new year with a “Bang!”

 

In stark contrast, we were comfortably in bed, tired from the day’s prep and hosting, as midnight came and passed in Sydney and the Lunar New Year dawned quietly while we slept.

 

Another year is over, with a brand New Year and fresh opportunities ahead. This Chinese New Year eve family gathering in Sydney was meaningful and memorable for so many reasons, all of which will be dearly treasured. Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

 

#MyJohorStoriesTravelogue

#MyJohorStoriesFebruary2026

Cherished Christmas Memories

Christmas has always been a very special time for me and I agree with the song-writer that, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”

Christmas Day party at our home in Jalan Dato Wilson;
Dad is holding me [Front row Left] distracted by a present!

When we were kids, the magic of Christmas simply means new clothes and lots of presents and toys.  

Our parents had a tradition of hosting a Christmas party and we always had a gathering in our home on Christmas Day.

I must confess that I cannot remember much of the celebrations held at our hospital quarters home at Jalan Dato Wilson when I was just a toddler. 

But old photos of Christmas parties held there showed how the small house was cramped with people but everyone was smiling because they were having so much fun. One of the most memorable Christmas days here was when the hospital compound was flooded due to a super-high tide and monsoon rains!

In those days, we made our own entertainment and dad would organise games for everyone – both young and old – to join in.

My brother in the arms of great-grandmother
[Seated]on swing at our Larkin Gardens home

One of the most popular games was “Passing the Parcel” where someone played music for the parcel to be passed around and when the music stopped, the person holding the parcel had to do a forfeit.

Dad would write out the penalty in a slip of paper hidden inside each layer of the wrapping paper and when this person unwrapped one of the multiple layers of the parcel, he or she had to read the forfeit aloud and then do what was written there. 

He was always giving simple forfeits like “act like a monkey, “leap like a frog” or “sing a favourite song.”  

It may seem simple to us now but it was often intimidating and rather embarrassing for the child or adult to do that forfeit, watched by an avid audience!

When we moved into our home in Larkin Gardens, we continued to host annual Christmas day parties with mum doing the food catering and dad organizing the games and entertainment.  

All dressed up in Christmas dresses,
the three sisters on dad's car [Far Left]
with our guests at Larkin Gardens

Looking at the old photos of our Christmas parties in Larkin, I realise that it was an occasion for all the generations in the extended family to gather for a huge bash.  

Considering the number of guests, I guess our parents certainly knew how to be good hosts!

Mum was definitely a good cook and clever caterer. 

I remember the only out-sourced food item in our annual parties was a traditional steamed Malay kueh made by a makcik filled with grated coconut in a perfect balance of Gula Melaka and rice flour, wrapped in banana leaves.  This kueh became a staple item at our annual parties and our guests always looked forward to savouring it, even after we moved away from Larkin.

My sisters and I with our
Christmas presents;
That's me with my giant doll!

My brother and I enjoyed helping dad to set up the Christmas tree.  While we were not allowed to touch the string of lights, I was thrilled to hang up the ornaments in the lower part of the tree.  

Dad always bought Christmas crackers that were filled with some novelty and he would hang them up using a rubber band or length of thread. 

I was probably too young to help in other preparations and remember just sitting pretty in my new dress that usually felt awfully uncomfortable but I went along with it because I was cooperating and being a good girl at Christmas!

Mum had a tradition of buying my siblings and me one new outfit for Christmas which would double up as the new clothes we would wear for the next Chinese New Year. 

At that time, Johor Baru did not have a decent store to shop for dresses that met my mum’s taste so we always made an annual trip to Singapore’s Chinatown where our clothes were picked from a department store that had a good selection of children’s clothes.

Christmas eve with our aunts in our home in Masai;
Check out my giant doll, still in a place of pride here! 

I must say that mum had good taste in picking out clothes for us and often chose identical outfits but in different colours for her three girls.  

It was probably a few years later that she could no longer find the same dress design in our sizes that she started to buy us different dresses for Christmas!

While the new dresses were to be worn on Christmas day, mum would also give us new pajamas to wear to bed on Christmas Eve.  

The sets of pretty cotton pajamas that mum bought for us from the Chinese Emporium, would also be of the same design but were distinguished by colours like pastel blue, pink and green.

One of my most favourite gifts ever was a giant doll that had eyes with long lashes that opened and shut when it was lying down. It was a gift from Ah Kong or grandfather and I treasured it for many years until its rubbery “skin” grew mouldy with age and I finally could no longer keep it.

It was only recently that mum told me the story about this doll from Ah Kong. The lovely doll was a gift which I so enjoyed that it became the envy of a girl cousin who happens to be an only daughter.  She badly wanted a doll like this so Ah Kong finally got the hint and bought her a similar one!

When our parents were transferred to work with the Health Sub-Centre in Masai, we continued to host Christmas parties in our staff quarters home there. It was an adventure for our relatives and guests to make their way to Masai because it was quite a journey by the old road in those days before the Pasir Gudang Highway was constructed.

Aunty Polly disguised in her version of Santa
at our Christmas party in Masai

The year-end monsoon season always coincided with Christmas and I remember one year when it rained so heavily that the road between JB and Masai was flooded and impassable for cars. Only lorries and buses could safely drive through the flood waters.

In spite of the rain, we made our annual trip into Singapore to buy our Christmas outfits and on the return, discovered that we could not drive back to Masai. I can never forget the adventure we had to make our way home because it was probably the first time we went on a public bus as a family.

Dad must have parked his car at our grandparents’ home at Jalan Ngee Heng while we took the bus back and along the way, I must have fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion. 

All I remember of that night was the light drizzle when we got down from the bus at the foot of the hill next to the Post Office in Masai, and how we walked up the hill with dad carrying me piggy-back to our home within the compound of the Health Sub-Centre.

An outburst of joy at our Christmas party!

One of my most treasured memories of Christmases in Masai must be the Christmas eves when our aunts came to stay overnight with us. They were still single then and we, the children of their eldest sister, were on the receiving end of their love and generosity.

After dinner on Christmas Eve, we would shower and dress in our new pajamas and enjoy looking at the gaily wrapped gifts that our parents, Aunty Annie, Aunty Polly and Aunty Sylvia, had put under the Christmas tree.  

There would be a lot of shaking and squeezing of the parcels to guess its contents because we have a tradition of keeping the gifts wrapped until all guests have left at the end of Christmas day. 

The fun of having our aunts sleeping over with us usually kept us awake till later than our usual bedtime but it was all part of the Christmas Eve tradition when we lived in Masai.

I will never forget how Aunty Polly would quietly disappear during the peak of the party on Christmas day and emerge with cotton wool on her face and wrapped in the only red item she could find – the reverse side of a quilt sewn by great-grandmother for my brother – in an attempt to be Santa!  This never failed to thrill the youngsters and set off much laughter among the guests.

Some of our guests at the
 "Where did you get that hat?"
themed Christmas party in Larkin Gardens

After being based in Masai for 13 years, dad retired from government service and we moved back to Larkin Gardens. Our Christmas parties continued annually with mum doing the food catering for a few more years until catering services became popular and we opted for catered food to let mum take a break from the kitchen.

After dad showed me the ropes in setting up the fairy lights, I gradually took over the setting up the Christmas tree.  

As we continued the tradition of hosting a Christmas gathering to share the joy of the reason why we celebrate the season, I also took over his tradition of sending out Christmas cards from his list. 

I enjoyed organising the Christmas party with a free hand in deciding on the various themes while the promise of a prize for the best dressed girl or guy always encouraged good participation. It was just good fun and among the various themes we enjoyed was, “Where did you get that hat?” where guests were invited to come wearing a hat. 

If guests did not have a hat of their own, we provided party hats or other caps and hats for everyone to wear a hat during the party.  It was amusing to see guests arriving with all manner of hats and even the senior members of the family were such good sports to come decked out in hats!

That young "pirate" [on my Right] cousin Ryan, won the prize
for being the Best Dressed Guy in our "P-Party"

For the “Buttons and Bows” theme, guests came in with outfits that featured buttons and bows. Some created outfits and accessories with buttons and bows and everyone tried to show off every small button to claim that they did follow the theme.

For the “Purple Party” I arranged to serve food and drinks that were purple in colour, wrapped gifts in purple coloured paper and tied them with purple ribbons – and everyone came dressed in all shades of purple!

The “Flower Power” theme party was quite easy to get into as guests came dressed in outfits with flowery prints or flower accessories.  I remember how two of my girl cousins stole the show with their beautiful Hawaii style outfits complete with flower garlands on their heads, necks and wrists!

LJW, the other "pirate" and me, comparing
our anchor designed tattoos 

My personal favourite was our “P-Party” not because my name starts with “P” but because guests did so well in coming as characters starting with the alphabet “P.”

Among the “P” characters who turned up at our party that year were a pharaoh, a princess, a pedestrian, a prefect, a Punjabi, a Polka-Dot girl, a few punk rockers and two pirates. Everyone truly deserved a prize for the effort they put into dressing up as a “P” personality!

Of course we always had a few party games which everyone had fun taking part or watching.  Besides dad’s favourite game of “Passing the Parcel,” I devised speed eating/drinking contests and singing talent contests for participants to win prizes.

One of the most unforgettable incidents was when a boy cousin stood up to sing a song that was then rather popular on the radio.  At first, we could hardly recognise the tune of, “Top of the World,” because he shocked us by singing in a strange falsetto voice!

After my brother’s son was born, we broke tradition to spend Christmas away from home for a change.  It was an excursion to transport the family and the festive trimmings all the way to a resort near Malacca for a weekend stay but it was still a memorable time together.

Dad with his grandson, Brendon, at
our Christmas in A'Formosa Resort

As our parents advanced in age, we decided to host our Christmas party at my brother’s home with a catered meal for an ever increasing number of guests.  I guess everyone would remember the highlight of the meal which was the carving of the delicious roasted turkey and leg of lamb we ordered from George & Dragon Café.

A few years ago, my brother and his family relocated to Kuala Lumpur for work and studies and since then our Christmas celebrations were scaled down to small gatherings with the immediate family. The short time with my brother’s family when they came home for Christmas, made our family reunions ever more precious.

But Christmas will never be the same again after dad’s passing early this year.  While we love and miss dad dearly, we treasure our memories and the legacy of family togetherness at Christmas.  

The message of “Peace on earth, goodwill to man,” has a special meaning as it echoes the peace we have knowing that dad has gone to be with the Prince of Peace.

As I’m writing this, the radio is playing music from a popular station and when a Christmas carol is sung by a pop group, I pause to listen.  I recognise it as, “Mary’s Boy Child,” and the truth in the lyrics repeated in its chorus, “And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas day,” is deeply reassuring.

Gone are the days of large groups coming to celebrate with us in our humble home but we certainly have many cherished memories of Christmases that we still fondly talk about.  

So have a blessed Christmas and make more memories with your loved ones! 

Going forward in the spirit of 1Malaysia

Peggy [Far Left] with friends [Left to Right]
Siok, Kausar and Mastura [Front row]
Ramlah and Jit Chin [Top row]
during break time in CHIJ JB

Minutes before the breaking of fast, patrons at the Ramadan buffet were helping themselves to desserts, ready to break their fast.  I helped myself to a variety of cake and “kueh” but a piece of moist chocolate cake toppled over against my finger and stained it with a blob of thick chocolate.  A quick lick will wipe my finger clean but because I was among fasting Muslim patrons, I hesitated and then wiped it off with a paper napkin.

As far I could see my family and I were among at least three other tables of non-Muslim diners.  For us, it is an annual tradition to enjoy a Ramadan buffet together so every year we just picked a date and a destination.  We are familiar with the social etiquette in such a situation so we patiently waited along with our Muslim friends to break fast. 

In accepting and respecting our diversity, it was also okay for non-fasting diners to fill their plates and carry on eating.  But as the breaking of fast was just moments away, it made a difference for us to sit down quietly in an attitude of mutual respect.  When the Muslim patrons started to eat, we paused to say grace as a family before starting to eat. 

I believe it’s our upbringing, growing up in Government quarters living among all races and mixing freely with schoolmates that taught us the respect for different cultures.  Just as our parents have friends from every race and religion, my siblings and I remain fast friends with school and workmates of every creed and colour.  Looking back, I realize that we have adopted the values of 1Malaysia long before it was embraced today.

Friends [Left to Right] Emma, Mei Yoong and Alice

In school I mixed with different cliques in a healthy combination of different races and we used to hang out in warm camaraderie, doing regular things like eating “dosai” at Kerala Restaurant before going to the town library or slurping “ice kacang” at Ee H’ng along Jalan Ibrahim, after visiting the library. 

We are blind to any racial differences as we ate from the same plate and drank from the same cup or sipped from the same straw.  Growing up together, we had great fun doing class projects, organizing house parties, sharing clothes and make-up, and having sleepovers in each other’s homes.

Now living in locations worldwide, my network of school-mates remains in touch with the convenience of the internet and we continue to exchange updates in cyberspace.  Thirty years on, we organized a big reunion bash with an overnight stay in a resort, bringing together more than 60 friends from different parts of the world, some as mothers, mothers-in-law and even glamorous grandmothers.  Graced by Sister Regina, a former teacher/counselor, our coming together again from such great distances, was a hugely successful event.

The gang at our reunion in 2004

When Sister Regina was invited to address us, she suddenly removed her shoes, left them under the table and walked bare-footed to the lectern.  As we watched her slowly make her way up to the raised platform, those who saw this unusual gesture were silenced in awe and openly alarmed.  Our fears were calmed when she gently explained that it symbolized her respect to us because she was so humbled by how we are keeping the spirit of unity alive in spite of our diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Since that reunion in 2004, we had a second grand reunion in 2007 and made short trips together to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and various districts in Johor, strengthening our bond and reconnecting with each other in a very special way. 

When classmates who have moved to work and live outstation or abroad return to their family homes in Johor Bahru for Hari Raya, Deepavali and Chinese New Year, we will somehow fix a day to meet and catch up with each other.  With careers established and children now grown, it’s very refreshing to rekindle our long-standing friendships as we move into the next chapter of our lives. 

During this recent Hari Raya break, a classmate was in Johor Bahru not only for her annual festive visit but also to present me with her daughter’s wedding invitation.  The weekend event held in Kuala Lumpur next month will include a typically Johor-style Akad Nikah ceremony and a dinner banquet the following evening.  As Emma and I hugged each other fondly in farewell, I felt very privileged to be among her close friends and be invited to share with her, an event as special and intimate as her daughter’s Nikah ceremony.

Mei Keeng [Left] meeting Kausar again after so many years!

I realize that we are all on an equal footing as non-native speakers of the English language and this common language bonded us together even though we each have our own language and culture. 

Having established and nurtured our relationships in school, it’s interesting to note that the days of attending my friends’ wedding celebrations are over and I’m now going to their children’s weddings.  It’s just another way which shows how far we have come, not just in accepting, trusting and respecting each other but also in loving one another. 

By building on mutual respect, we can each do our part to go forward sharing and cultivating strong and harmonious unity, to make this nation a better place for our future generations.  Call it by any name – Muhibbah or 1Malaysia – there’s always more to learn and love than to frown and fear about each other. 

A version of this article was first published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets in October 2009

Weekend Walkabouts

Most of the shops in Kluang have the year
they were built painted on the top,
as seen in these shops along Jalan Ismail

On two weekend jaunts, Peggy Loh discovers charming sights and trading activities which date from days of old.

It all started with our Big Birthday Bash class reunion two years ago.  

After having left Convent Johor Baru for many years, former schoolmates reconnected again and because of our common interest to explore local sites, we made plans for day trips in and around Johor Baru. My friends may be well travelled but I’m glad they have a keen interest to see some sites in our own backyard. 

Kluang's coffeeshop culture is aptly
depicted in this wall mural

Just browsing around gives us a glimpse of how our forefathers used to live and shop in the old days. 

So it was worthwhile to take a walking tour of at least part of the town, to discover charming sights and enjoy a touch of nostalgia which is lost from most cities.  

Many businesses have moved into modern malls but markets and traditional family-run stores are still fun to visit. 

Maybe all the reminiscing about bygone days at our class reunion had sparked off a nostalgic quest to explore and have some fun together.  

So with our feet shod in good walking shoes, we set off in a car pool for weekend walkabouts on two separate weekends, first to Kluang and then to Kukup.

Generations of Kluang folks grew up playing
on this slide in the Merdeka Park playground

Kluang, the trading post

After we exit the toll to turn to Kluang, we see new shops nearby that stock a wide range of ceramic pottery along with cane, fabric products and other souvenirs.  

This may be the spillover of traders from the original market centre in Ayer Hitam.  

It also reminds us that Kluang is irrevocably linked to Macap and Ayer Hitam for the quality ceramic pottery and tiles produced under renowned brands like Malaysian Mosaics, Guocera and Claytan. 

Check out this
multi-lingual sign!

In Kluang, we cross the railway tracks and turn left into Jalan Station, so named because it is parallel with the KTM railway line that links Kluang to Johor Baru in the south and all the way north to Padang Besar, Perlis and beyond the Thai border.  

Back in 1910 when Central Johor was developed with rubber and oil palm plantations, Kluang was the administrative centre and the railway line was established since 1915 to transport fresh produce and labour to cities and ports.  

The Kluang railway station remains virtually unchanged to this day and the Lim family, who runs the kopitiam here, continues with the business under their Kluang Rail Coffee brand.

From the railway station, we walk along Jalan Dato Syed Abdul Kadir to Taman Merdeka, the park where generations of Kluang folks must have enjoyed the playground.  

Old fashioned concrete benches line the edge of the park at intervals and we can see how the back rests are inscribed with the town council logo and the name of each bench’s sponsor or the UMNO logo and words that commemorate the organization’s Silver Jubilee in 1985.  

In the adjacent Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim, we see a tall structure with a square space, believed to be designed for a clock but to this day, no clock was ever installed.

A section of Jalan Station, Kluang

In those days, it was a trend for builders’ to state the year the building was completed because most of the shops in Kluang have the year designed or painted on the top of the buildings.  

Along Jalan Ismail, one of the oldest buildings dated 1926 for the Eng Choon Association, is distinguished by its well maintained façade while other shops there and along Jalan Lambak not only sport the year but also a prancing lion figurine atop the buildings.  

The presence of several ancient hotels like Man Ten Hotel (1941) Mang Cheong Hotel (1952) and Hwa Lam Hotel (1956) suggests that Kluang was a former trading post where planters and traders came for business and needed a place to stay over before they returned to their respective plantations.

Living Heritage

Shops along Jalan Station were built around the 1920s when the railway station started to transport goods to and from Kluang.  

But since the 1970s, businesses here turned predominantly Indian and that is probably why our presence in their shops gave the merchants some amusement.  

This is Kluang’s Little India with garment, jewellery, provision shops, stalls for fruits, flower garlands, fresh meat and goat’s milk, restaurants and even a toddy shop.

From this signboard, we can see that this
business is well established because its
original telephone number only has three digits!

The bright colours of the variety of grains displayed in Letchumi Provision Store caught our eyes and it drew us into the shop for a closer look.  

The contrasting shades of beans, corn kernels, dark dhal, rice and other nuts and pulses are not just attractive but it gives us an idea about the ingredients that go into a typical Indian diet.  

Among food products like spices and ghee, we discover an interesting range of beauty products including ayurvedic and herbal bath soaps, some created with milk and saffron. 

The whir of grinding mills and the fresh fragrance emanating from the basement hinted of something going on downstairs.  

With their permission, I went for a peek and met the father and son grinding team who told me that they have been producing a range of spice blends for recipes to cook briyani rice, fish and meat curries, since 1969.  

Their spice grinding business continues in the traditional step-by-step method to peel and cut, slice and chop fresh ingredients before grinding them into a powder blend of spices, ready to be packed and sold for cooking. 

Goh Tian Hock, Executive Director of
Cap Televisyen Kluang Coffee Powder

Another irresistible aroma that beckoned us is that of roasting coffee beans at Kluang Coffee Powder Factory, the producers of the renowned Cap Televisyen special coffee since 1966.  

We stand mesmerized, soaking in the fragrance of a toasted blend of Liberica, Robusta and Arabica beans as we watch the workers turn the beans over and over in a huge tray before moving the toasted beans to the cooling area.  

In the lobby, we help ourselves to sample cups of freshly brewed Television brand Kluang Coffee from a flask and dip crispy cream crackers into the hot coffee to savour with great satisfaction.

Before we leave Kluang, there is just one more stop to look at street art in the lane behind one of the town’s main roads, Jalan Dato Teoh Siew Khor.  

As we admire the wall murals, two obvious themes that emerge are Kluang’s coffeeshop culture and the creative ways the bat (Malay word, kelawar) is illustrated in various drawings.  

It is very encouraging to see how local youths have expressed their creativity in the wall murals and captured the essence of Kluang and what is dear to them, in their art.

Visitors to Kukup Laut village

Kukup, the laid-back port

It is the weekend and we are prepared for the crowds because on weekends and during the holidays, there are usually more visitors in Kukup.  

Most come to shop for fresh or dried seafood and dine in the many waterfront seafood restaurants that are built into the sea.  

I remember the town is uniquely situated at the edge of the coast and the road simply ends at the jetty which is now renovated into a ferry terminal. 

From far we can see the traffic and pedestrian congestion that marks the heart of Kukup so we wisely park near the rows of new shops before going for our walkabout to Kukup Laut village. 

The area around the terminal is always the most congested as Kukup is also the hop-off point for visitors to nearby Kukup Island and the floating fish farms that form part of local tours.  

The ferry terminal is also another reason why the town is full of travellers who are either heading to or from Singapore and nearby islands.  

Most of the wooden walkways have
been replaced by concrete paths [Left]

From the sign put up across the lane between two shops, it’s easy to find the entrance to the village.  

While most of the wooden walkways have been replaced by concrete paths, this is still an amazing network of paths in a village uniquely built entirely on stilts.  

We remind each other to be careful on the narrow paths lest we accidentally slip and fall and it turns out that this is not a far-fetched idea because we soon discover that pedestrians share the paths with motorcycles and bicycles.  

The locals, of course, have the right of way but it is quite shocking to suddenly hear the nonstop ring of a bicycle bell and before we can dodge into any doorways, the impatient biker is screeching to a halt right next to us. 

This is an early warning for us to be aware of riders, so while we are walking or browsing, we should stay out of the way of any oncoming bikes.  

By now the locals are familiar with visitors in the village and many enterprising ones have set up stalls in front of their homes to sell souvenirs, snacks and drinks.

With a modern toilet built within the
concrete house [Right], the wooden
outhouse [Left] is no longer in use!

Cooled by salty sea breezes, we explore the 100-year old floating village to find that besides homes, there are schools, shops, restaurants and even a well-renovated temple in a typical Chinese fishing village.  

In the restaurants, some tables are occupied by groups of men, some of whom are tanned and topless, and chatting over bottles of beer.  

No, they are not our regular beach bums but fishermen who are winding down with a drink after their day’s work. 

Among the old wooden houses, we spot big double-storey buildings that are also on stilts but from the compressors installed outside, we can tell that they have air-conditioning facilities.  

My friends are certain that these are holiday homes for hire and to satisfy our curiosity, we went to inspect the premises. The proprietor happily shows us around the property and gives us relevant information for full board homestay packages. 

Before we leave, he made sure that we each received a copy of his name card with contact details so that we can make our reservations!

Stop for local delicacy,
Pin Fen crystal jelly

This is really giving us ideas to organise a homestay trip soon.  

We cannot help feeling impressed at how a new generation of enterprising villagers in Kukup Laut is building on their tradition as fisherman to serve guests the freshest home-cooked seafood as holiday home operators.  

While new concrete buildings are replacing rickety wooden houses, the future of the village looks good as they also offer visitors a unique holiday experience here.

  

After discussing food choices for homestay catering, we are feeling rather hungry but before going for our seafood lunch, we pass a house with a sign for Kukup Pin Fen Crystal Jelly and see a refrigerator outside but nobody was around.  

We keep calling out, “Hello! Hello!” while helping ourselves to boxes of pretty oval pieces of jelly in a variety of pastel colours, until someone comes out from the house.  

We are totally charmed by the laidback attitude of the villagers and are determined to return for a homestay experience where life still goes on at a leisurely pace.

Fast Facts

The 107km drive to Kluang via the Plus Highway takes just under an hour from Skudai to the toll exit at Ayer Hitam (RM9.10).  Then follow the sign to Kluang where most of the roads are dual carriageways.  

The 66km route from Johor Baru to Kukup takes you past Skudai to Pekan Nanas before you bypass Pontian and follow the signs for another 20km to Kukup.  Tip: Do not park illegally in Kukup or you may end up with a hefty fine.

A version of this was published in The New Straits Times, Life & Times on 11 December 2014