20 September 2014
The happy crowd are having fun at the back lane of Jalan Dato Teoh Siew Khor, Kluang
Kluang Festival has been circulating my Facebok page. LerLer enjoy shooting mural and meet the local. Without any hesitation, LerLer registered for their event, "A community Oral History - Kluang Old Town" event. LerLer told this news to Mr. Ang after I registered. Mr. Ang went "huh???". Hahah That is me. Always full of surprises.
We departed to Kluang around 2.00pm. The whole driving journey was accompanied by heavy rain. Think positively, it was quite romantic to enjoy the gray sky from the car. Think logically, it was quite dangerous as the visibility is quite low. However, the weather did not damper our mood to attend this festival.
When reach Kluang town, we stop by petrol station for fill up. Many roads were flooded. While, filling up, a police car drove by to control the traffic. The friendly staff told us that just a few minutes ago, someone slipped into the flood. Ambulance was here to save the guy. This news shocked us. Hopefully, there will be some solutions for the flood problem.
Around 4.00pm, we reach Taman Merdeka, Kluang. No one was there. I was quite worried that the event was canceled. Luckily, after 20 minutes of wait, a few volunteers with the specially designed T-shirt appeared. It is like batmen appear out of dark. Hahah
Our narrator, Ms. Wong
After waiting for 10 minutes, other participants were here too. There were 4 undergraduates from University Malaya, 2 local Kluang residents, 2 of us from Johor Bahru and around 7 tour guides or volunteers.
The old building was built in 1955. It still stand tall in the silent corner.
Tong Ah Company is renowned Chinese traditional snack maker in Kluang of which "Tau Sah Piah"- in sweet and salty flavor - is the signature and best selling biscuit.
Old building with spiral staircase. This kind of architecture was built around 1950.
The narrator was explaining some traditional herb. The volunteers pulled up some small containers to let us smell some herb. Most of the herb are used in our meal.
Mr. Chia Hang Kiang, the current heir of Tong Ah Company. He is the third generation of this traditional biscuit business. His grandfather started the business at Taman Merdeka. Since the end of 1970s, he have moved the confectionery shop to Jalan Tiong Hwa.
Mr. Chia is a Coca-Cola collector too.
Next, we met up with Million Bata Shoes Store's owner, Mr. Yap. He was happily discussing some old stories with Mr. Goh. It was quite interesting to hear them speaking Mandarin in "Kluang Stype." They were truly "Oppa Kluang Style" .
The volunteers were having fun too.
The detail of the Kluang story can be found in this little booklet.
After the 2 hours of
"Community Oral History- Kluang Old Town" tour, we invited the volunteers to "lim teh" (drink tea).
Have you try "snake" drive around Kluang to "lim teh"?
Check it out for >>
part 2 <<.
For more photos, the albums is
HERE
Taman, Merdeka, Kluang
Jalan Dato Teoh Siew Khor,
86000 Kluang,
Johor
GPS: 2.0322635,103.319473
by LerLer Chan 
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