Fired up over Tanjung Api

This piece was eventually translated into a large painting.

FLANKING the Pahang's Kuantan Rivermouth and facing the South China Sea are two idyllic fishing villages that are slowly being swept away by the waves of development. Located on the northeastern side of the estuary is Tanjung Api, and directly opposite it is Tanjung Lumpur.
 
  I have been to the Tanjung Lumpur fishing village many times through the years when visiting Kuantan. It is more famous for its seafood than Tanjung Api, boasting a number of big restaurants.
 
  However, I feel Kampung Tanjung Api, as it is better known, has more character, thanks to its wooden houses on stilts and makeshift fishing huts that dot its short coastline.
 
  The evening I was there, the good weather and blue skies allowed me to do a piece on fishing boats in Tanjung Api. They were moored at the edge of the coastal swamp land after the esplanade, separated from the beach by a thick line of flotsam and mangrove saplings struggling to gain a foothold.
 

A local fisherman looks for prey

  The sun was on its way down and the dissipating heat drew anglers to the concrete pier. Some distance away, children were seen diving in for a cool dip from boardwalks nailed to rotting bakau trunks.
 
  Tanjung Api is the destination of choice for anglers although a few eateries are also drawing loyalists to their premises. According to one angler, anglers like this place because the water is deeper than in Tanjung Lumpur and chances of landing a big catch is much better. The esplanade here is also quite large and can accommodate many anglers without their lines getting entangled at each cast.
 
  I was told that photographers and artists love this side of the Sungai Kuantan estuary simply because of its rugged geography. There are plenty of subjects in the form of wooden houses on stilts, debris from the sea, and rickety boardwalks reaching out to the boats moored at the water’s edge.
 
  If you are lucky, in the afternoons when the sea is too rough for boats to go out, you may catch sight of fishermen making fish traps known as bubu. I got acquainted with a couple who were also enjoying the outdoors painting that evening.
 
  At a small river at the end of the village, I met a local fisherman who was casting for fish. When I asked him what was he looking for, he replied that he was casting for a tilapia species that have adapted to the brackish water there. “Not big but enough for a decent meal tonight,” he replied, as his wife looked cautiously at my camera.
 

Inspired by the scenery, this artist puts her inspiration to paper

  From Tanjung Api, I could see that development is coming fast and swift to its riverine neighbour on the opposite bank. Two tall cranes were clawing at the skies on top of a huge complex; perhaps another hotel?
 
  As I left the place with a painting in hand, I was very sure that when I return again in a year or so, there will be fewer fishing boats to paint on either bank. I hope that Tanjung Api will not lose its charm.
 
 
  HOW TO GET THERE
 
  From Kuantan town, drive to Jalan Teluk Sisek towards Tanjung Lumpur. At the traffic lights, turn right but do not go up the bridge to Tanjung Lumpur. Instead, keep to the left and turn in at Jalan Padang Lalang. Go straight for about 1.4km until you come to Jalan Selamat and turn right.
 
  In about 500m, you will come to the junction with Jalan Tanjung Api. Turn left and look out for Lorong Tanjung Api 11 and turn in there. The esplanade is about 400m away. Look out for the Tanjung Api Mosque, which sits just at the entrance to the esplanade. You can use Tanjung Api Mosque, Kuantan, to approximate your search for its location on Waze.

Bagan Sungai Sembilang

The Bagan Sungai Sembilang beach is not as well known as its Pantai Remis counterpart

BAGAN Sungai Sembilang is a small sparsely populated coastal fishing village a kilometre south of the more popular Pantai Remis on the west coast of Selangor, near Kuala Selangor. It is accessible via Klang from the south or the Latar highway from the north, off the coastal Kapar-Kuala Selangor trunk road.
 
  I found this up-and-coming holiday spot quite by chance while exploring the area. The cluster of casuarina trees that were planted years ago on this stretch were a sight to behold the morning I was there. Their silhouette cast on the white sandy beach made the scenery picture-perfect.
 
  Bagan (or Kampung) Sungai Sembilang got its name from the river that runs through the area, which is also used by fishermen to advance inland by water. According to my friend Radzi, the coastal waters used to be teeming with the marine catfish known in Malay as sembilang. They are still found here but not as many as in years past.
 

This wet market is a recent development to boost
the economic activities in this enclave

  While painting this scenery, I noticed that many of the casuarina trees had been uprooted. Their trunks had been sawn off and the stumps left to rot. According to an army veteran (who watched me paint), the water-line was farther out at sea.
 
  "There were even more trees those days but over the years, the sea claimed more land," he explained as he pointed to a line of rocks that ran parallel to the beach, 50 metres away. "Those are what remain of a sea wall built many years ago to prevent erosion and they are now submerged in mud. Who knows, one day, the area where we are standing now might be under water."
 
  This stretch of beach is relatively unknown and is usually deserted on weekdays though there are some makeshift huts built some time ago. Come weekends or holidays, the shady stretch under the casu arinas will be occupied by cars. The beach is relatively clean, thanks to "No Littering" reminders nailed onto the trees by the locals, a troop of macaques were at the beach the day I was there. I saw about 10 of them scouring the ground for food scraps.
 
  The tide goes far out in the mornings, I was told, and the exposed mudflat is often filled with wading birds. The day I was there, a huge flock of painted storks and a couple of Lesser Adjutants were spotted foraging in the shallows, picking at morsels of food stuck between the barnacle-ridden rocks.
 
  Several weekenders were also seen looking for gerimis, a small yellow-brown coloured bivalve that gave the neighbouring Pantai Remis its name. Oysters have also been found here. But if you are not keen on looking for your own fresh seafood, you may want to check out the two eating stalls nearby.
 

Painted storks foraging in the shallows as the tide
recedes

  There are several holiday homes here, including a boutique resort.
 
  A shout's distance away is the wet market run by the fishermen of Bagan Sungai Sembilang. There are two or three fish and vegetable stalls at this market, which sits on the banks of the Sungai Sembilang.
 
  If you are looking for fresh fish or bivalves, this is a good place to visit. The prices are not much of a bargain if compared to elsewhere along the coast but the freshness of the sea produce is undoubtedly very good as testified by the number of cars waiting for fishermen to land their catch.
 
  The boats moored along both sides of the riverbanks also make for good photography, especially in the evenings. Just a stone's throw from the market is a marine fishing pay-pond. If you are itching to wet your lines and want to score some bragging rights, you can try your luck here for a fee.

 
  HOW TO GET THERE BAGAN
 
  Sungai Sembilang lies a short distance off the Kuala Selangor-Kapar trunk road. If you are coming in from the south, Klang, keep a look out for the Petronas Sungai Sembilang fuel station. Turn left at the road a few metres after this station.
 
  The road is named Jalan Pantai Sungai Sembilang. If you miss this, the next road to watch out for is Jalan Khailani, just a few metres from Jalan Pantai Sungai Sembilang. Just go straight and you will first come to the Bagan Sungai Sembilang wet market. The road to the beach is at right of the wet market which sits on the riverbank.
 
  If you are using the Latar highway, it is about seven kilometres after the town of Sasaran (or Sungai Buloh, Jeram). The Petronas Sungai Sembilang should be on your right, and the two beach accesses will be just before the Petronas station. You can search the location on Waze or Google Maps.
 

Lure of Riverine Living

A CLUSTER OF traditional wooden houses on stilts in Pulau Duyung, Kuala Terengganu, is drawing a steady stream of visitors, mostly foreigners, to its doorsteps despite not being promoted much.

Awi’s Yellow House, as this back-to nature-rough-it-out accommodation is known as, comprises a cluster of 10 chalets of various sizes built by seafarer Wan Osman Wan Abdullah (or Awi as he is fondly known) and his wife Rohani Longuet in the 1970s.

According to Rohani, who is in her 70s, it was originally built to house those who came from afar to have their boats built by the local craftsmen.

The chalets were added as more people came, both to build their boats as well as to visit the island.

I was there recently for an artist residency programme and fell in love immediately with the Malay kampung-style riverine life.

The entire resort sits on a huge boardwalk

While painting this piece under a huge mangrove tree, known as the berembang, I was transported back to my childhood days when my family lived in Kampung China, Kuala Terengganu.

The back of our house was also built on stilts over the Terengganu river and when the tide brought in clear waters, a cool dip would never be missed. Children living on riverine houses were born to swim, we proudly told visitors.

Although Awi’s Yellow House is rarely promoted in tourism programmes, it is well known among foreign visitors to Terengganu. Strings of accolades have been showered on it by grateful travellers who have walked through its doors.

In recent years, it has also received rave reviews in travel portals such as Lonely Planet and Virtual Tourist. Awi, who is in his 60s, has been often praised for his friendly hospitality.  The rooms here are basic and the beds come with mosquito nets.

If you have not slept under one, perhaps this is one of the few places you can give it a try. Some of the chalet units have attached bathrooms equipped with basic facilities.

Rustic feel under the attap roof

There is a common shower and toilet, and a common kitchen area which have the basic utensils if you decide to cook. If not, a walk around the neighbourhood will take you to some stalls where you can have a decent and affordable meal rich in local flavours. There is also a sundry shop at the entrance to Pulau Duyung where you can get your supplies if you need some. 

The entire chalet area is a huge boardwalk constructed from tropical hardwood. It is built around mangrove trees that rose from the mudflats. When the tide is in, the water’s surface is just a few metres beneath the floorboards.

Mullets and small riverine can be seen darting off just below the surface when startled by human presence. I caught a glimpse of a family of otters foraging at the water’s edge during one of the mornings while I was there.

Inspiring moments amid nature

The foliage of the towering berembang trees keep the area decently shaded and cool even on the hottest of afternoons. The chalets are built is such a way that there are plenty of natural light for you to curl up with a book or sit and paint the riverine scenery.

There is certainly no lack of greenery here, both of decorative flowers in pots around the chalets as well as the indigenous nipah palms and more mangrove flora rising from the banks.

             

How to get there

AS the Yellow House is strategically located on Pulau Duyung, you can also check out the main attraction that made Duyung famous — the traditional shipbuilders who are famed for huge seafaring vessels based just on the experience imprinted in their minds. There are a few within walking distance of the Yellow House.

Call 09-622 2080. Awi will be happy to take your call. Ask why the chalet is named so and he will be more than happy to share interesting stories behind it.

Kampung Air Jernih’s hidden charm

A quick sketch of Kampung Air Jernih's entrance.

HIDDEN from the coastal thoroughfare that runs through Kemasik, Terengganu is an old Hainanese village where time seems to have stood still. Said to be at least a century old, Kampung Ayer Jernih was believed to be founded by a group of Hainanese migrants who made their way from Hainan island, China, to Terengganu in the early 1900s.
 
  During its heyday in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, the story has it that there were no less than 1,000 Hainanese families living here, making it possibly the largest Hainanese settlement in the country then. Today, there are only about 400 to 500 families left, according to a village elder I met while doing a painting of one of the old houses opposite the Hainanese Association.
 
  A gleaming steel arch carrying the village’s name greets visitors at the entrance, which is on higher ground. A police station and a Chinese primary school flank the single road that runs in a curve round the village.
 
  Two rows of quaint doublestorey shophouses, reminiscent of those in ancient China, some say, stand on both sides of the road just wide enough for two small cars to squeeze through. Many of the houses, especially those at the upper end of the road, appeared abandoned and dilapidated.
 
  When I was there, on a Friday afternoon, with a long weekend ahead, the street was deserted. The silence was broken by the distant strains of Chinese songs from the ‘60s. The doors of the occupied homes were either half-open or shut. Most of the coffeeshops, including the most popular one named Yeen Her, beside the Hainanese Association, were closed, or about to.

The owner of this house was wondering
what attracted my attention and decided
to close its doors

 
  A villager later told me that most of the residents had gone down to Kuala Terengganu to join the Mazu Festival, a celebration of the community’s patron saint.
 
  The early settlers were farmers who mostly cultivated pepper and other cash crops. During the 1950s and ‘60s, they turned to rubber and oil palm. Today, rubber appears to be the main income earner as can be seen from several scrap collection centres operating from the old shophouses. Two big ones are located at the back of the town, with sacks of stinking dried latex clumps awaiting transportation. There is also an oil palm fruit collection centre 100 metres away from here.
 
  “This village is in its twilight,” a 60-yearold tells me. “Most of the descendants of the original settlers have moved on to seek greener pastures in bigger cities. Many have shifted to the new village nearby to live in brick, instead of the timber, houses here. Only the older generation remains and some of the houses have been left empty for years or rented out to outsiders who came to work in the plantations here.”
 
  During my trip there last year, while taking a break at the coffeeshop next to the Hainanese Association, I learnt that life in Kampung Ayer Jernih has not changed much over the decades. I remember eating some local cakes, presumably made using recipes passed down over the generations. One was a steamed rice cake that I had not seen elsewhere and another, steamed brown tapioca cake. This time, though, I did not get the chance to try these delicacies.
 
  I also learnt that the Kampung Ayer Jernih has been identified as another tourism attraction for Terengganu but this being Visit Terengganu Year 2017, I did not sense any signs of the winds of change - save for the lanterns that were hung near the archway. I wonder if they were lighting the way to the village’s new beginning or were merely decoration left over from Chinese New Year. I will return again to enjoy the rustic charm of this quaint village.
   
  HOW TO GET THERE
 

This traditional glutinous rice cake
was made from hundred year old recipes,
I was told 

  Kampong Ayer Jernih is 8km from Kemasik town. If you are driving along the East Coast Expressway, exit at Kijal Toll Plaza. From here, Kampung Ayer Jernih is 9km via Jalan Jabor- Penghantar and T13. There are signages showing you the way. Drive slowly as some stretches are uneven and littered with pebbles.
 
  If you are driving from Kuala Terengganu in the north via the Jalan Kemaman-Dungun coastal road, locate Mesra Mall just before Kemaman town. Two kilometres south of Mesra Mall, turn right at the junction to T13. The village is 9km from here.
 
  Kampung Ayer Jernih, Kemasik, is well-positioned in Waze and GoogleMaps but access to the networks can be a pain, so switch on your GPS while there’s a connection.
 

Drawn to Cape Rachado

To access the lighthouse, there is a short walk up the hill

I HAD never gone up Cape Rachado (or Tanjung Tuan), Port Dickson, to view its famous lighthouse despite having passed by its vicinity every drive down to Melaka using the coastal trunk road.
 
  This time, I decided to drop by as it happened to be the site for the annual Raptor Watch that takes place on its grounds. The lighthouse is believed to be the oldest lighthouse in Malaysia, said to be built in 1863 after the original was destroyed in a war between the Portuguese and the Dutch in the 16th century. The structure is made of masonry and whitewashed. The second tower, which houses a Measat radar, is made of concrete and was built in 1990.
 
  Parameswara, the founder of Melaka, and its first sultan, is believed to be buried in the area. Visitors are allowed only up to the compound but not into the premises of the lighthouse.
 
  The 800m road leading to the lighthouse is well tarred, and flanked on both sides by the original flora of this coastal rainforest. The presence of giant trees like the mata keli (Gynotroches axilliaris), mengkulang (Heritiera simplicifolia), and meranti tembaga (Shorea leprosula) provide a cool respite even on hot afternoons Living under the shade of these trees are a diverse fauna population, including over 50 species of indigenous birds, as well as primates such as macaques and the rarely spotted silver leaf monkey.
 

A bird watcher looks out for the raptors flying in from
Indonesia

  During Raptor Watch Week, which takes places in mid-March every year, bird lovers and ornithologists zoom into Tanjung Tuan to catch sight of thousands of birds of prey as they ride the thermals to cross the Straits of Malacca from Indonesia on their return migratory leg.
 
  When I was there to do a painting of this structure, I met several bird watchers armed with binoculars and long-range cameras. They were perched along the lighthouse's perimeter wall keeping a lookout for the raptors. The previous day, one of them told me over 2,000 raptors had been spotted. As we were talking, another chap alerted us to two Chinese Sparrowhawks which were coming in from the seas.
 
  OTHER ATTRACTIONS
 
  There are several other attractions in area. About 100m from the lighthouse, on the left side of the road, a concrete-stepped trail leads to the beach where an abandoned Dutch well, a piece of rock dubbed the footprint of Hang Tuah, and a Perigi Keramat or "mystical well" are located.
 
  Unfortunately, I did not manage to get down to the beach because of a sprained ankle sustained halfway through the trail. There is another jungle trail that leads to a rocky outcrop known as Batu Puteh but this one has been closed due to safety concerns. There is another stepped trail just beside the lighthouse that one can explore.
 
  On my way down from the lighthouse, a chance encounter with a park sweeper revealed an interesting side to Tanjung Tuan. According to the man, in the days of old, the jungles surrounding the lighthouse were considered "magical".
 
  "When I was young, my parents told me and my siblings that the area is inhabited by invisible beings known as `orang bunian'. These beings rarely disturb humans but sometimes, if they are offended by mischievous visitors, they would make their presence felt. When they cross paths with humans by chance, they would transform into creatures of the jungle to hide their identities.
 
  "I also remember tales of a huge white crocodile that inhabit the waters off the coast and which had been spotted sunning on the rocks. That crocodile is believed to be a 'keramat' (a mystical guardian) of the coastline," he said.
 
  Visitors to the lighthouse are charged RM1 at the foot of the hill. The best times to visit is during weekdays. The road leading to the lighthouse is clean but the incline can be challenging if you are not fit. There are several rest huts for you to catch your breath.
 
  Raptor Watch's humble beginnings
 
  RAPTOR Watch began with a group of birdwatchers who were enjoying the sight of raptors making their annual trip across the straits off Tanjung Tuan during their migratory season. When they heard of plans to develop parts of the Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve, they realised that the survival of the raptors would be jeopardised as it depends on the preservation of the coastal rainforest.
 
  Efforts to raise awareness on Tanjung Tuan as a prominent bird migratory site led to the organisation of the first Raptor Watch in 2000, with two small tents set up by volunteers from the Malaysian Nature Society.
 
  Two nature guides were also roped in on the spur of the moment to take people through the jungle trails to learn more about the flora and fauna of Tanjung Tuan.
 
  Raptor Watch has not only brought people, nature and birds together but it had also led to the conservation of Tanjung Tuan's coastal rainforest and turned it into an ecotourism attraction.
 
  The annual event has put Tanjung Tuan on the map for birdwatchers and nature lovers around the world, so much so that the cape has now been recognised as an important raptor site by BirdLife International, National Geographic and Hawk Mountain Raptor Sanctuary.

Scenic Pangsun

This is one of the two hydro electric stations in hulu Pangsun

TO hikers and climbers who have scaled Gunung Nuang in Hulu Langat, Selangor, this building must have brought back fond memories of their trip. It is the lower station of the Ulu Langat Mini-Hydro Electric Power Plant set up in 1927.
 
  Located at Ulu Pangsun, at the foothills of Gunung Nuang, the mini hydro plant is the second oldest in the peninsula and the oldest in Selangor until it ceased operations in 2001.
 
  I painted the lower station building from under the shelter of a bus stop, which happened to be the last terminus of the RapidKL, from the city.
 
  Ulu Pangsun, located about 38km south of Kuala Lumpur city, is a favourite getaway for city folk as well as those just across the border in Negri Sembilan.
 
  Very near to several recreational forests such as the Sungai Gabai, the Sungai Congkak and the Tekala, Ulu Pangsun is accessible by car and RapidKL bus although the road towards the upper reaches are just enough for two vehicles to squeeze through.
 
  My attention was drawn to this building because of the contrast of its shape against the verdant hills in the background.

One of the old houses left abandoned here

 
  There is a row of dilapidated whitewashed buildings believed to be the quarters of the staff of the power plant. Not far from this building is a small tarred road leading up to the base of Gunung Nuang and the Sungai Langat dam.
 
  According to a teenager who was waiting for a bus to go to school in town, the place is usually crowded during weekends and public holidays. It is from this point that hikers could mount their assault on the 1,439-metre high Gunung Nuang.
 
  For the less adventurous weekenders, however, they can find plenty of picnic spots just beside the main road into Ulu Pangsun.
 
  The meandering Sungai Pangsun provides many shady spots for a picnic or a quick dip in the crystal clear waters.
 
  Some of these had been developed by the more enterprising land owners by providing sheltered huts that can be rented from as low as RM10 for a day.
 
  There is also no shortage of resorts for those who want to enjoy the quiet of nature or do some jungle-trekking activities.
 
  Many of these, including Kem Lubok Manggis, Impian Rimba Resort and Nur Lembah Eco Resort, are well known venues for corporate team-building events because of the proximity of their location to the city.
 
  There are several other places worth checking out if you are visiting Ulu Pangsun.
 
  Among them are the Sungai Chongkak Recreational Forest, the Lubok Manggis picnic grounds, the waterfalls of Perdik and Sungai Lepok, as well as the Tekala and Gabai recreational forests some distance away. There is also an Orang Asli village in Ulu Pangsun.
 
  As I was driving out of Ulu Pangsun, I stopped by a patch of sweet potato plants by the main road. An Orang Asli chap was plucking them.
 
  When I asked if he planted them, he laughed and said that the plants grew wild.
 
  “Anyone who wanted to eat them are welcomed to pluck some,” he said with a grin. I refrained from asking him how much these would have cost, stir-fried, in a restaurant in the city.
 
  If you have daylight on your hands when visiting Ulu Pangsun, take a drive along Jalan Sungai Lui towards Semenyih.
 
  The journey of over 10km will take you along the perimeter of the beautiful Semenyih Dam and enjoy the sights of its verdant hills.
 
  HYDROELECTRIC STATION THE
 
  Ulu Langat mini hydroelectric plant is believed to have come about in the early 1920s when the tin mines sprouted up in Kuala Lumpur.
 
  According to early records, the beginnings of the Ulu Langat plant could be traced back to Cornishman George Simms, a prospector who ran the Sungei Besi Mines Ltd. Simms was said to have scoured the hills of Ulu Langat on horseback to look for streams to power a hydroelectric station after hearing about the successes of other mines using hydroelectric power.
 
  After overcoming strict government regulations, the Sungai Besi Mines was granted a 42-year licence to operate the power plant, with the condition that the government had the first option to purchase the excess electricity.
 
  Upon the plant’s completion, electricity was supplied through 29km of transmission lines running through the jungles. In 1933, the government bought over the plant for 200,000 pounds (RM1.1 million).
 
  When the Japanese Army invaded Malaya in 1941, all power stations were ordered to be destroyed under the retreating British Army’s “scorched earth” policy.
 
  The Ulu Langat stations were also incapacitated during the war, only to be rehabilitated when the British returned.

Bagan Tengkorak's ominous name

This river has a scary past

I WAS introduced to Kampung Bagan Sungai Tengkorak many years ago when a friend took me to a little known seafood restaurant there.
 
  At the time, I did not think much about Bagan Sungai Tengkorak and had forgotten about the restaurant was or how to get there, let alone how the fishing village's ominous name came about.
 
  In fact, I had earlier thought that the fishermen's enclave, seven kilometres north of Tanjung Karang, was probably a pirates' hideout, hence the name.
 
  Recently, while heading for Sekinchan to look for scenery to paint, I passed Kampung Bagan Sungai Tengkorak, better known as Bagan Tengkorak, again.
 
  This time, a sign by the road that read Jalan Jepun (Japanese road) caught my curiosity, which took me on a detour into the village.
 
  Jalan Jepun, which ran parallel to Jalan Bagan Tengkorak, looked more like an orchard or plantation of sorts, with traditional houses spread out far apart amid patches of oil palm, tapioca and banana trees.
 
  The 1.5km tarred stretch was just enough for two cars to pass each other. The only indication of the road's identity was that lone signboard I spotted earlier beside the Kuala Selangor trunk road, plus a couple of address signboards just outside some houses.
 
  I drove all the way into the village amid more oil palm holdings to find myself in a small settlement of houses on stilts along an almost hidden river bank. Most of the folks here were Chinese families. The houses along the riverbanks, which were built on stilts, were linked with a timber boardwalk that also led to a few jetties.
 
  I spotted a Johor-registered fishing boat that was moored nearby. Curious, I asked a man who had just returned from sea at the jetty. The man, who was in his 40s, told me that the fishing boat was brought from Johor and is currently undergoing maintenance work.
 
  I asked for the man's permission to paint the boat set against estuarine scene from the jetty. The man, who introduced himself as Chia, said I was welcomed since the jetty was not busy as big waves had prevented the fishermen from going out to sea.
 
  ATTRACTIVE SKULL
 
  As I was working on this scenery, a few locals came to watch. One of them was a Malay man about 70 years old.
 
  Having struck up a conversation, I asked if he knew why the river received its fearsome name.
 
  According to him, his grandfather told him that the name came from the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army during its occupation of Malaya between 1941 and 1945.
 
  Prisoners were beheaded along the river and their heads were spiked on stakes to be displayed there.
 
  For years, before electricity arrived, he said, people claimed to have seen apparitions of soldiers marching to the river during the wee hours of the morning.
 

This village is mostly inhabited by
fishermen

  Jalan Jepun, he added, was called such because it was there that most of the Japanese soldiers were located.
 
  Later, when I spoke to the headman of Bagan Tengkorak, Heng Seng Soo, a different story was unveiled.
 
  Heng said that the village had been almost a century old. According to his story, the name Sungai Tengkorak was given by the early settlers in the area, which comprised the Malays and Chinese.
 
  Those days, the only way to get to the village was by boat and according to a story, he said, when the boatmen were about to enter the estuary, they saw skulls along the beachfront.
 
  "Because of that, the river was nicknamed Sungai Tengkorak and the village, Bagan Sungai Tengkorak, and bagan meant "quay" in English.
 
  Kampung Bagan Tengkorak is today occupied by about 40 Chinese families, with most of them living along the river banks near the jetty. About 95 per cent of them are from the Chia clan," he said.
 
  "Unlike the old days, however, only a few families remained as fishermen today. The fishing fleet, which was much bigger many years ago, only has six fishing boats now."
 
  Despite its ominous name, Bagan Tengkorak has over the years become is a very popular destination for weekenders looking for some quiet.
 
  Seafood lovers also flock to the only restaurant here on weekends.
 
  Just a short distance away from the restaurant is a Chinese temple which comes alive during the resident deity's festival.
 
  A cockle grading factory is also a stone's throw away from the restaurant but unfortunately, when I was there, it was closed.
 
  Sungai Tengkorak also attracts anglers, particularly prawn hunters. Within the river are lairs of giant freshwater prawns or udang galah that will make heads turn, so I was told.
 
  Some of the more enterprising fishermen, instead of depending entirely on fishing, also organise fishing charters to take the fishing enthusiasts out to sea.
 
  Between November and January annually, the mangroves of Sungai Tengkorak becomes temporary homes to visitors of the feathered kind.
 
  Migratory birds such as sea eagles, herons and other sea birds make their stopover in the swamps to meet and mate.
 
  FOOLED BY ARECA NUTS
 

A mudskipper takes a suntan

  ACCORDING to a story some years back, the Japanese army, during its invasion of Malaya, chose to set up camp at Bagan Sungai Tengkorak because they had mistakenly believed that the area had abundant food supply after noticing areca palms growing wild in great numbers there.
 
  Thinking that the fruits of the areca palm were edible, the soldiers forced villagers to gather the areca nuts (pinang) for them. However, when they found out that the nuts were not only hard but also bitter and could not be eaten, raw or cooked, they punished the collectors.
 
  A story has it that the prisoners were stripped naked and tied to areca palm trunks. Fire ants' (kerengga) nests were thrown at them, unleashing the fury of the ants. Some of them, who did not die from the ordeal, were beheaded and their skulls thrown into the river.

Ayer Salak's historical past

 This is Ayer Salak's St Mary's church that was built some 130 years ago 

I CAME to know about Kampung Ayer Salak from a fellow traveller heading south during a recent trip to Melaka. He told me of a very old church that was built some 130 years ago in a predominantly Chinese-Catholic village. Guided by Waze, I was brought right to the grounds of the St Mary's Church in the village.
 
  Although the morning sun had cast wonderful shadows on the main premises, the old church building on the western end of the field was more interesting as a painting subject.
 
  This old church has two spires, each with a cross at the apex. It is a small but sturdy building constructed of rust-coloured laterite rocks similar to those found in old forts that I had seen, such as the A' Famosa and Fort Supai in Kuala Linggi.
 
  Kampung Ayer Salak lies about 30km off the North-South highway from the Simpang Ampat exit.
 
  The village was a jungle in the mid-1800s, according to a story in a magazine published by the Church of St Francis Xavier, Melaka.
 
  The 1995 publication mentioned of a French missionary named Pierre Henri Borie who built a settlement here in the late 1850s.
 
  When Borie went home to France in 1867 because of ill-health, another missionary Ludovic Julil Galmel carried on his work. The latter built this old church and two schools in 1886. When Galmel died in August 1899, he was buried here and a tombstone was carved by villagers to remember his contribution to the village.
 
  The population of Ayer Salak was given a boost in the 1920s when Chinese Catholics (mainly Teochew) from China migrated to this village to escape war and natural disasters in their homeland.
 
  Joining the original settlers, they worked their farms and tapped rubber for a living.
 
  Today, there are about 200 households in this quiet enclave in Melaka. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the state's tourist belt, many of the houses here are still in their almost-pristine condition, built with timber and had large front yards. There are also quite a few brick houses.
 
  Places like the old church and an old fort-like house - dubbed by visitors as "red stone house" - just opposite the church offers a glimpse into the Ayer Salak's past.
 

The red-stone house 

  The "red stone" house was believed to be have been built about the same time as the old church and was used to house the church's caretakers. It is now closed for repairs.
 
  When I was there, I noticed a fundraising banner announcing efforts to raise money to refurbish the old church, as well as the red stone house.
 
  A short distance from the church, half a kilometre up an incline into the heart of the village, lies the St Mary's Gloriette which was built by villagers in 2007. Religious services are held here on Tuesday and Friday evenings.
 
  Down the road from here is the compound of what used to be the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus Primary school until the late 1990s. It is now the Montfort Youth Centre which offers vocational training to poor and underprivileged youths.
 

Rare find at Cheong Huat's

  Not far from the St Mary's Gloriette, by the road junction, is an old sundry shop operating from a single-storey timber shophouse.
 
  This family business, I was informed, is being run by a fourth generation member. Owner Woon Boon Siang, 75, inherited the business from his grandfather and he has since passed the baton to his 50-something son.
 
  Stepping into the shop, which was named Cheong Huat, is like stepping back into time. Goods from a forgotten era such as the China-made Eagle brand shavers, Ve-Tsin food flavouring and Gold Coin brand face powder cakes can still be found here.
 
  Speaking to Kampung Ayer Salak village headman Lim Khen Hong, 54, I understand that plans are afoot to promote the village's tourism potential.
 
  One of the efforts undertaken recently was to beautify this very clean village and illuminate the main road into Air Salak using decorative lanterns during major festivals.
 

Some of the villagers still farm

  Wandering around the neighbourhood, I come upon several vegetable farms, orchards and even a fish farm that rears giant snakeheads (toman) that will be sold to restaurants. All of these, including the quiet charm of the village, are yet-to-be discovered tourism products.
 
  "In the past, most of the villagers operated small-scale farms and tapped rubber," Lim tells me.
 
  "Today, most of the younger generation prefer to work in factories nearby the Bukit Rambai area. There are some who still work on their farms and oil palm plantations but these are mostly the older generation. The younger generation prefers to work in bigger towns that offer better pay.
 
 




BACKGROUND
 
  KAMPUNG Ayer Salak is probably the only village in the country populated entirely by Chinese Catholics. It owes its origins to French missionary Pierre Henri Borie who set up a mission station named Dusun Maria in Rumbia (Rembia) in 1848, according to the Herald Online.
 
  In 1857, its Rumbia settlement of 23 newly baptised indigenous people (known as Orang Mantras) had grown to almost 400.
 
  That year, the British (who were the authorities of the day) wanted the land to be turned into a plantation and Borie was forced to look for an alternative settlement, large enough to accommodate his community.
 
  In February 1858, Borie found a piece of land in Ayer Salak. Seven months later, Borie and his community moved to their new home which he renamed Maria Pindah.
 
  Two years later, he obtained 202 hectares of land from the Governor of Singapore and this became the permanent location for Maria Pindah, the foundation on which the modern village was built. Borie returned to France in 1867 and died four years later of malaria, at the age of 91.
 
  Without a priest, Borie's congregation began to leave in stages over the following decade. In 1885, another French missionary Ludovic Julil Galmel arrived in Ayer Salak. Failing to gather those who left, Galmel turned the settlement into a model farm, with Chinese workers and the remaining Orang Mantra forming the village community.
 
  SOURCE: "WHERE IT ALL BEGAN -THE FIRST COMMUNITY", HERALD MALAYSIA ONLINE, OCT 6, 2014.

Tree houses of Pantai Redang, Sekinchan

One of the tree houses that has been shaped from an old fishing vessel.

THE first thing you will notice when you arrive in Pantai Redang, Sekinchan, is the number of tree houses peeking out from the gaps amidst the foliage. These structures were pieced together by the villagers, using driftwood and bits and pieces of timber salvaged from old fishing boats.

According to a trader, the tree houses were originally built for the villagers to relax in and enjoy the breathtaking tranquility of the beach in the evenings. The structures also served as a playground of sorts for the children. However, they soon began to attract visitors who stopped by at Pantai Redang, soon popularised through social media.

Another tree house there

Today, Pantai Redang is a bustling tourist spot, especially among seafood lovers who stretch their legs here after having had their fill in the fishing town. Busloads of visitors can be seen swooping down what used to be a barren strip of sandy beach. This has, in turn, sparked off economic activities among the more enterprising locals. They have set up base underneath the trees, some just below the tree houses, selling anything from tidbits and kites to simple meals and drinks.

I did a piece of one of the play structures crafted from the shell of an abandoned fishing boat beside a hawker stall. Shortly after I finished, a drizzle drove me to seek refuge under a tree house to paint another scenery, that of the hawker stalls under the trees. Behind me was a stretch of mangrove swamp.

The tree-houses are popular with visitors to Pantai Redang.

As I was about to finish, I was alerted to the presence of another group of visitors, that of the feathered kind. My presence had startled a school of nesting grey herons, and some other seabird, and they objected with raucous cries. Some took flight only to return to their nest to keep an eye on me.

I do not remember seeing any the last time I was there. A local told me that these birds were mostly local species that can be seen around mangrove swamps and estuaries. Once a year, they gather along Pantai Redang to build their nests and mate, foraging for leftovers from the fish landing jetties or stealing a crumb or two from uncovered trashbins.

Love birds? Catch sight of them during migratory seasons here

Pantai Redang’s star attraction is perhaps the “red” tree beside the Chinese temple. It has appeared in many social media posts as a background subject in selfies, sparking similar replicas in coastal enclaves that are trying to attract tourists.

This red tree literally holds hundreds of handwritten wish streamers on its branches. To make a wish, one writes what one desires on a strip of red ribbon and hurls the streamer into the branches. If the ribbons are caught by a branch, the wishes will soon be granted. If it is not, you just throw it back until the tree accepts it.

Another place of interest in Pantai Redang is a factory producing salted fish located just behind the temple. If you are lucky, you can catch sight of workers preparing fish to be salted. However, ask for permission first before entering the premises.

This is the famous wishing tree of Sekinchan

WHERE IS IT

PANTAI Redang is located in the coastal side of Sekinchan town. As you reach the village side of Sekinchan from the Kuala Selangor main, turn right at the T-junction into Jalan Bagan. Half a kilometre from here, you will cross a small river with fishing boats moored to your left. Turn left immediately after this road into Jalan 12. Pantai Redang is located about 1km from this point.

There are signboards all the way, but chances are you will spot some tour buses and vans heading in the same direction or coming out. Be alert for lorries carrying fish as well as villagers riding their bicycles or motorcycles without helmets.

This popular spot is also registered on Waze and you can search using Pantai Redang, Sekinchan. There are also many seafood restaurants along the way from the town right up to Pantai Redang.

Blue Lake of Kundang

Jet skiers and water scooter enthusiasts will remember this body of water known as the Tasik Biru Kundang

CITY folks who are into watersports such as jet-skiing, wind-surfing and even waterskiing would have known about Tasik Biru or Blue Lake in Kundang. It's 20 minutes' drive from the city centre of Kuala Lumpur via the Latar highway, which connects Gombak to Kuala Selangor. Although the lake lies in the district of Kuang, it is more well known as the Kundang lake.
 
  In the mid-1990s, jet skiers and windsurfers would descend upon this lake to go for a spin, raising the ire of local anglers. Frequently, there would be an exchange of words as each justified their presence. I remember also the tales being circulated about giant snakeheads said to have attacked people.
 
  One famous story was about a 1.5m giant snakehead which bit a chunk of flesh off a jet skier's buttocks when he fell into the lake. There had also been stories of arapaimas spotted swimming in the lake, but no one had actually captured photographic evidence of any. I often wondered if the tales had been concocted by anglers to drive away the jet skiers and windsurfers so that they could enjoy fishing in peace.
 
  According to local knowledge, this lake was a disused tin mine, abandoned in the late 1950s. Back then, because the depths had yet to be overgrown with vegetation, the crystal-clear waters and sandy white bottom reflected the blue skies on cloudless days. This was how the 20ha lake probably got its name.
 

Scenic Kundang Blue Lake

  Another source stated that a palong was used to mine tin here. In this mining method, a strong jet of water is shot at the side of the quarry to loosen the tin-rich soil into slurry which is then sucked up the top of the palong and allowed to run down troughs equipped with riffles. These riffles trap the heavier tin ore and at the end of each day, miners would shovel the ore into heavy canvas bags. The tin tailings, sand and slime were dumped at the other end of the quarry.
 
  The island on the southeast end of Tasik Biru, where I was painting, was believed to be the mound of this mining waste. Apparently, some years back, one could just wade through the waist-high water to get to the island. However, when I was there, I saw that the water was too deep to take that suggestion seriously. The island was apparently one of the locations where the Malay movie Merah, starring Ziana Zain, Awie and M. Nasir, was shot in the 1990s.
 
  It is not known how deep the lake is, but an angler who was fishing nearby estimated it to be about 30m at the deepest part. He cautioned anyone against swimming in the lake unsupervised because of the many lives that had been lost in its depths. In fact, a newspaper cutting recorded 34 deaths over the years due to accidents in the lake.
 
  The day I was painting at the lake, I saw local council workers sprucing up the banks on the east end. A lakeside restaurant, with a beautiful view of the lake, is a recent addition. It was as a result of the refurbishment of what used to be an underused pavilion for watersports activity built by the council. Today, the restaurant attracts locals as well as travellers passing through Kuang in the evenings, to enjoy a meal while taking in the tranquillity of nature.

Word has it that huge carnivorous fish like
 the giant snakehead roam in the depths of this lake

 
  ANGLERS' HAVEN
 

  Kundang is synonymous with freshwater fishing and has been an anglers' haven since the 1990s when they find their bounties of snakeheads (ikan haruan) and tilapias in several disused mining ponds in this area. There were also some commercially operated fishing ponds here that have gained a loyal following.
 
  One of these ponds is located just beside the Latar Highway, adjacent to the Kundang Lakes Golf Course. Known as Tow Foo Sportsfishing, this was one of the earliest commercially operated ponds with an emphasis on fish conservation with its practice of catch and release, as well as lure fishing using artificial baits like spinners and poppers.
 
  This fishing pond is still operating after so many years. There is also another fishing pond just beside the road not far from the Blue Lake.

Majestic Rumah Terengganu

No nails are used in traditional houses like this one, only wooden pegs. 

MY attention was drawn to this traditional house by the sparkle of sunlight caught on its orange-coloured roof tiles when I visited the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) in Kepong.

I used to see these tiles, called atap genting singgora (singgora clay tiles), in my home state of Terengganu when I was a child. The morning sun had cast long shadows on the subject, as if calling for it to be painted, and I obliged.

A close-up of the clay roofs. See
the lichen building up under it?

According to a faded information board at the staircase, this traditional Terengganu Malay house originated from Pulau Rusa in Terengganu. When it was dismantled and brought to FRIM in 1987 to be reassembled, it was believed to be already over a century old. It was bought from the original owner for about RM1,500, according to another source.

Made of cengal wood (Neobalanocarpus heimii), this house belonged to the Rumah Tiang Dua-Belas category in which the main structure is supported by 12 timber posts (tiang). Save for a few broken roof tiles, the house still looked quite sturdy. I would have gone in to check it out had I not spotted a pack of wild dogs which sought refuge inside.

A friend of mine told me that this type of house is also known as Rumah Bujang Berselasar, the Terengganu traditional Malay house in its simplest form — with only two areas: the main house area (rumah ibu) and the verandah (selasar or serambi), connected by a small staircase.

Guests are usually received at the verandah, which also serves as a place to relax on a hot day or carry out chores such as making handicraft or teaching children to read during the day.

The roof tiles used in this house are said to be similar to the atap singgora used in Thailand. In fact, the term Singgora refers to a place in old Thailand where roofs are tiled using these. Each tile comes in a long pentagonal shape, with a hooked end on one side. They are made by using the foot, dried in the hot sun, and then fired in a kiln. I believe these tiles are still being made in some remote villages in Kelantan.

To install them on the roof, each tile is hooked onto the rafter and arranged side by side. Each ascending row of tiles sits on top of another on the lower rafter. Each piece is placed to overlap, top over bottom, so as to cover the gaps to prevent rainwater from seeping through.

Singgora tiles are very brittle. Roof-tilers had to be extremely careful of their steps when mounting these tiles on the rafters as they cannot hold the weight of a person. The Singgora tiles are also lighter and porous, and they absorb moisture during the night.

During the day, the moist tiles are able to keep the house cool. Usually, moss will grow on them and add to the cooling property of roofs using these tiles. Of course, for the occupants, the interior of such houses can sometimes be quite damp, especially during wet spells.

Like most traditional Malay houses in Terengganu and the east coast of the peninsula, the timber posts of this house stand on stone piers. The high posts keep pests like ants and snakes from entering the house and the structure free from flood waters. The space beneath the house allows further cooling of the structure. This area is often fully used for storage, sometimes to rear poultry, or even to air-dry clothes during rainy seasons.

Just hardwood, assembled very expertly

The stone piers on which the posts stand prevent dampness from seeping into the wood. They also serve to deter termite attacks. In case of an attempted attack, the termite mud-tubes (trails left by the insect whenever travelling through exposed surface) would have been spotted first before damage is done.

HOW ATTAP SINGGORA IS MADE

CLAY obtained from the river is first processed to the right consistency. It is then slapped onto a slanting wooden mould shaped like a longish pentagon and compressed by using the feet. The depth of the mould gives the tile its thickness. Excess clay is removed by dragging a bow with a wire across the face of the mould.


The Singgora clay roof tiles are believed to be similar to those use by Thai traditional architecture. They are porous and can absorb moisture and cool the house down during the day.
The soft sheet of tile, like plasticine in texture, is then peeled off from the mould and arranged side-by-side on an open ground to be dried under the sun. Here, the hooked end is folded manually, using a small block of wood as a guide to ensure a uniform height.

Once the tiles are sufficiently dried, they are then fired in a kiln, turning their colour from grey to orange-red.

This is the writer’s impression of a single piece of Singgora clay tile turned upside down. The hooked end is folded at right angles so that it can clasp onto the rafter when put in place.