A sepia rendition of an old kopitiam in Main Street, Behrang. This is a typical coffee shop found on many one-street towns along the ‘old road’ or Federal Route 1.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f6.3, 1/250 sec.
Tag: perak
Young Man In The Net
In a fishing gear shop in old Behrang town, I met 15-year old Sean who is a keen angler. In between preparing for his exams, he helps out at his aunt’s shop where he puts his knowledge of local fishing spots to good use.
When Indonesian customers walked in, Sean broke into fluent Indonesian and indulged in friendly repartee with them. He spoke surprisingly good English too. While I was impressed by his command of the various languages, he showed another skill worth noting.
It was the way he fielded incessant questions from me. What he didn’t know or was unsure of, he admitted so. What he knew, he answered with precise facts and figures. Something of which many of our politicians can learn from.
The shop’s name is Syarikat Alat-Alat Pancing Ikan Soon Huat. Surprising though that Sean, being a young person, doesn’t believe in a Facebook Page or website for the shop. He said the shop is already well known.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f6.3, 1/250 sec.
Behrang The Unlikely Fishing Town
Life’s a beach when the nearest beach is some 100 kilometers away. Behrang, as I was to find out, is an angler’s paradise. Assorted fishing hobbyists, from near and far, congregate here before fishing at the nearby confluence of tributaries.
The principal river, Sungai Bernam, flows from Mount Liang Timur on the Titiwangsa Main Range to the Straits of Malacca . Upstream, at the mountain peak, is also the point where the borders of the three states of Pahang, Perak and Selangor meet.
A local ‘bait and tackle’ shop worker told me the prized catch here are Pak So Kung (Ikan Baung or Mystus catfish), Ikan Kelah (Mahseer) and Temoleh (Jullien’s Carp).
The catch must be so good to make people buy a RM 800 boat on location. It is nice to see a leisure activity drawing business to eateries and other shops in this forgotten town.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f8, 1/250 sec.
Linoleum And Boats
It is very colourful and the old shop houses on the main street seem so full of character. The initial drive through made me think the town is susceptible to floods.
For a small town, it has quite a few shops selling linoleum floor mats (tikar getah) and boats. I remember seeing the same while covering the Great Johor Floods of 2007.
I was partly right. Took a walk around town, spoke to the locals and discovered an interesting fact unbeknown to many outsiders.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f5.6, 1/250 sec.
The Ghost Train
Near Behrang, I saw what looks like the shell of a KTM Class 82 Komuter train cannibalised at its final resting place.
In its short lifetime, similar trains saw repeated overhauling, refurbishment, conversion and lack of spare parts. The relatively young South Africa-manufactured train has a stormy past.
The arrival of KTM Class 92 in 2012 resulted in the retirement of the entire Class 82 fleet to the train’s graveyard.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f10, 1/250 sec.