CHANGE is a key transition in our lives. But sometimes life comes hard at you when you know for a fact that moving from one phase to another can be the most daunting task to ever experience.
This is appropriate especially when we have so many wonderful memories to cherish from the past, and for Penang assemblyman Ong Ah Teong, the nostalgic feeling of growing up in a ‘kampung’ environment (Batu Lanchang) will be one he will treasure for a lifetime.
While words were literally not enough for the Batu Lancang assemblyman to express his love for the constituency that he now serves, he went on a mission with a group of talented individuals to produce a book called ‘Batu Lancang The Olden Days’.
The book, which he said, took him and his team a year to complete, was initially scheduled to be launched by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow in May this year.
Unfortunately, when Covid-19 struck us all and dampened hopes of the possibility of organising events of any nature for that matter, the launch was postponed, and it was officially launched today.
In the book, one will find the classic climate of Batu Lancang and its authentic village-based activities that were carried out by residents there.
Ong said the book consists of stories about Batu Lancang vegetable farms, itinerant hawkers, vegetable vendors, Jelutong Market, Laksa Day, classic grocery shops, Metro theatre and many others.
“To make the content even more interesting, my group and I actually took a step further to interview people of different races who lived and are still living in Batu Lancang.
“They were our important storytellers, and it was their stories that gave more life to the book.
“The residents mainly were from the Batu Lancang constituency, which also include parts of Jelutong and Jalan Perak,” Ong said during the official launching ceremony of the book at Tanah Lapang Taman Hijau in Batu Lancang today.
Ong, who spent his childhood days growing up in Jalan Perak, said the Batu Lancang constituency that it used to be is different than how it is today.
“In the olden days, every family had a well at home, but it was used only for washing, bathing and irrigation.
“Before tap water was available for every household, residents in the area had to go to a public tap water point near Lam Wah Ee Hospital to fetch water for cooking and drinking.
“Also, back then, residents from different ethnic groups, young and old, would engage in conversation with each other or exchange views and opinions while queuing up there with buckets waiting for their turn to get water.
“The place therefore became an important social space which offered opportunities for the neighbourhood residents to interact and foster a sense of local community.
“Now, things have changed so much, and how I wish things were still the same as those days,” he added.
Ong said his office has printed 5,000 copies and interested individuals may visit his service centre in Batu Lancang to receive it.
Earlier, Ong had distributed the books to schools in his constituency, such as SK Convent Green Lane, SK Hamilton, Heng Ee High School and others.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan