There’s A Lesson In Here Somewhere

At the turning into Kuala Kubu Bharu town, I stopped to fill up and friendly pump attendant, Mr Rajamani, assisted me. Since he is KKB born and bred, I asked him if that’s anything interesting to see inside. He thought about it for a few seconds and said: “Not, really. Mostly government offices”.

Familiarity breeds indifference or nonchalance, I guess. It turned out to be the town with the most things to see, so far. Glad I went ahead and explored it, running into so many interesting people and places.

A former government servant, Rajamani has worked at this Shell station for the past 20 years after retiring from civil service. He is now 78, fit and sharp.

I am here again to refill before continuing north on Federal Route 1. Jaded as he was, his face light up when I showed him pics of some of the KKB residents I captured. He smiled broadly as he identified each by name.

Before I drove off, I asked him a question that was bugging me:

Me: “Were petrol stations, such as this one, affected when the highway opened up and transit traffic by-passed the small towns?”.

Rajamani: “Not, really”.

Me: “How is it?”.

Rajamani: “Locals have cars too lah”.

Photography Tip: On a road trip, pack along a small low-light lens but not for bokeh or stylo-mylo purposes. I put it to good use here where twilight was fast fading.

I normally click as I converse, composing with the rear LCD screen so that my face is visible to the subject. With the Sony Zeiss Sonnar T, I was able to dial a fast enough shutter speed to hand hold with one hand and also to freeze a very animated subject.

Goodbye KKB, thanks for the friendships and memories.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f1.8, 1/250 sec.

Teng Wun

Mr Wun the baker and proprietor of Teng Wun Cake Shop, together with his wife, are making 400 to 500 pieces of kaya puffs a day, and were doing so for the last 30 years or so.

Quite an amazing number considering there are not that many residents, let alone tourists in KKB. Many of his customers are locals, including Indians, Malays and Orang Asli folks.

Kaya, also known as coconut custard is of Peranakan origin and not Hainanese, I believe.

Local Hainanese people (originally from the Island of Hainan in South China) are known for their culinary skills, especially fusion food of East and West.

Chicken chop and kaya-butter toasts are Malaysian-Hainanese inventions. Many also used to work on the trains’ (KTM) catering coach and operate kopitiam (coffee shops) around the country.

Another Hainanese in town proffered a theory as to why they are good cooks. They were latecomers to then Malaya. They came after the earlier wave of migration by the Hokkiens, Cantonese, Teochews and Hakkas. By the time they arrived, all viable business opportunities and job openings were controlled by powerful clans and triads.

Without a membership card, they ended up working for English expats (wealthy colonialists) as cooks and caretakers of mansions. Here at KKB, several Hainanese residents and their ancestors used to work at the colonial bungalows up on Fraser’s Hill.

It was from the British families that they were introduced to western food and they soon enhanced the recipes further by adding Chinese touches. It is also claimed that they modified a kebab leftover from a garden party one night and added peanut sauce.

The creators named it “Sar Tay” meaning ‘three pieces’ in Hainanese, and voilĂ !; satay was born. Most likely an urban legend but quite possible considering their inventive kitchen skills.

Back to Mr Woon. His shop also sells the famous kaya by itself in small jars. The spread used on bread is thinner than the kaya used for the puffs. Mr Woon says a thicker version is used in the puffs so that is easier to wrap the skin around.

The nice gentleman offered me some complimentary butter sponge cakes to try. I turned that down to leave tummy room for the puffs. Yes. They are the world’s most awesome kaya puffs.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 2000, f9, 1/60 sec.

Kaya In History

During the few days I spent at Kuala Kubu Bharu, I asked the town folk as to which is the most famous institution. Famous, as in well-known to stopover visitors, tourists and outsiders.

The answer, invariably, is always Teng Wun the Hainanese cake shop. Cakes are not the main magnet of the shop, though. It is their kaya (coconut egg jam) puffs; allegedly the world’s most awesome. The world here, means the handful of countries that sell this unique pastry.

Since I’m leaving town, I went there to buy some kaya puffs as edible souvenirs. Before stepping in, I was already enthralled by the facade. The shop front looks like the painted backdrop hanging on a Chinese opera stage. Except for that damn bicycle, of course.

The classic design is similar to that of many shops from days of old. Brutal but quick tooth-extraction shops, photo studios, gents tailors and traditional hemorrhoids (piles or buasir) busters; to name a few. I have seen the remains of similar shop-front designs at many other small towns.

Some were modernised beyond recognition while many others were left abandoned to become decaying relics from a bygone era. This one not only looks pristine but smells nice too.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 800, f9, 1/60 sec.

Draw Of The Valley

In building the dam and subsequent flooding of the jungle area, 2 Orang Asli villages, comprising 84 families, were relocated and re-settled. They moved from their traditional jungle homes into a colony-like housing area with brick houses and relatively modern amenities.

Going up and down a hill behind the dam, I came upon one of the settlements. It has been more than 10 years since, and some of the houses are a bit worn. Saw only kids playing outside but there was an adult.

I asked him if I can take his picture. He nodded affirmatively. Then he nodded to every question I asked, like as if he was lost in his own world. Maybe it was the satisfaction of the long cigarette draws or blissful daydreaming. As an ex smoker, I understand the feeling.

Wall graffiti aside, there is so much to read silently here. The floor mop is a symbol of different abode and lifestyle. There is a bridging symbol, too. Parts of the rusted and broken metal stair railings were replaced with bamboo from the jungles.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f5, 1/320 sec.

Damn The Dam?

Moving to an opposite view and looking at the shoreline from the edge of the re-aligned road to Fraser’s Hill. In the previous pic, I was on the extreme left, somewhere up on the hills.

No modern dam will be without controversy. Its environmental impact was scrutinised, debated and protested during its planning and construction. Ironically, all eyes now are on its water level and the dire consequence of a water shortage.

To defray some of the ill wind, there is a visitor’s center with a information officer on site, ready to furnish data and answer questions. Few other dams in the country provide this kind of access and technical info to the public.

The upstairs verandah is now locked but you can request for it be unlocked. Go up for a breezy and very calming view.

You may damn the dam and justifiably so. But the reality is insatiable, ever-increasing demand for water from residential, commercial and industrial consumers means the inevitable.

In the near future, even this last natural resource of the state might also fall short. What with Klang Valley growing ever so frantically.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f11, 1/500 sec.