LETTER | KL's Kampung Baru a potpourri of Malay heritage

LETTER | Anyone who has not visited Kampung Baru will not be able to feel the pulse of Malay heritage in its resplendent splendour. Indeed, here is a rich cultural being-ness right in the heart of a thriving, modernising but haphazardly cramped up Kuala Lumpur.

Not only is Kampung Baru historically recognised as a “Malay Heartland”, to this day, it continues to be a cross-cultural experience for Malaysians and tourists.

The food is a great experience if you want to savour the goodness of nasi lemak and the many varieties of Malay delicacies and cuisine.

More than food, there are two glaring truths about Kampung Baru.

Firstly, it is the Malay goodwill that fills the many eateries and flows onto the cramped, narrow roads fronting the only one and only “Laluan Sehala” that snakes through Kampung Baru.

It will be impossible not to notice how local Malays – many coming from as far away as Perlis in the north and Johor down south working in the Malay eateries. Of course, quite likely, some may be Indonesians but the operators are all Malays.

These Malay workers have proven Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Umno politicians wrong all the way. They are neither lazy nor unwilling to work in eateries and over long hours.

The polite Malay culture can also be easily encountered as the ever-busy waiters, waitresses, cleaners and cashiers at the cramped stalls seem to be ever so calm and entertaining every customer.

In fact, even the customers – who are predominantly Malay, somehow seem very graceful and accommodating and have no reservations whatsoever in striking a conversation or acknowledging with polite nods and smiles the many non-Malay visitors there.

What is even more amazing is despite the bumper to bumper stream of vehicles meandering into the vicinity, you never hear people honking. Despite parking being a nightmare, selfish attempts to hog spaces are visibly absent. Tolerance and patience fill the streets.

The second truth is, we have to haul up our politicians for their repeated failures to protect, cherish and nurture the uniqueness of Kampung Baru.

For far too long we have been sold the hollow mantra that development means having more high-rise buildings and burying places that give a potpourri of cultural exchanges for Malaysians.

One leader even kept repeating that Kampung Baru is “an eyesore” while his lapdogs kept painting a shanty town image of Kampung Baru or tore into this heartland with allegations that the place had been sold out by the Malays to Indonesian settlers.

What all these politicians – behind whom lurk greedy businesspeople, refuse to accept is that despite governments (especially the Barisan Nasional party that reigned for decades) deliberately not doing the best it could to make Kampung Baru a greater experience in things Malaysian, the Malays there have struggled against so many odds to keep the soul of Malay-ness still thriving.

Despite not having good roadways and parking spaces, or being given namesake tarred roads, the stalls there continue to draw throngs of crowds day and night, seven days a week.

Despite the endlessly mushrooming brick and mortar in the surrounding vicinities that removed the green lungs that once made Kampung Baru so breathtaking, the warmth and kindness of the restaurant operators and staff make up for the cramped space in the shops as well as the claustrophobia on the roadways.

Despite all the negativity that politicians painted about Kampung Baru, here is a place in our country where Malays, Chinese, Indians and others come, mix well and enjoy the food and good company of each other.

In fact, those of us who had the opportunity to live and grow up in Kampung Baru and its nearby vicinity like Jalan Doraisamy and Jalan Campbell (now Dang Wangi) for example, will recall the beauty of this nest with its great river and a long wooden bridge beneath which thrived rich catches of sayur paku.

It is a pity that Umno politicians, in particular those who would scream “ketuanan Melayu” in a heartbeat, failed not only to preserve this great Kampung Baru but allowed it to suffer more with each passing decade of seeming development that kept encroaching the village from all sides.

What our leaders are butchering in mayday fashion is the great Malay culture – the traits of goodwill, tolerance and a willingness to share their cultural experiences with non-Malays. Our politicians have robbed us of a great place right in the heart of the thriving capital city where all Malaysians can meet and partake in all things Malay.

The congested roadways, the lack of good parking lots, the absence of national budget allocations to help the poorer longtime residents whose families have been there for generations – all of these are the silent and weaponised encroachment on this once pristine Malay dwelling.

Fortunately, the resolute will of the Malays there still tries its best to keep Kampung Baru, now a tiny living experience, for all Malaysians and our foreign visitors to continue to savour.

Perhaps the time is right for all Malaysians to help the Malays reclaim their heritage right here in Kampung Baru.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.