The Nostalgias

Stadium Merdeka hold significant events of great importance to our beloved nation. But just like our wedding reception (if we do have), do we expect that dreamy all-white tent to stood there for a long time because that single wedding is a-time-of-our-life?

Once Kuala Lumpur mooted with the idea to erect a new, shining, all-modern stadium. A multi purpose sport facility that will hold big games and seats tens of thousand spectators. We have all the expertise, architects and engineers at disposal to work marvel on ideas that could tremendously alter the cityscape of Kuala Lumpur just like what Commonwealth did to Bukit Jalil. KL had the land allocations, amidst the high density city center, several acres of reserves may be available along the outskirts which someday shall be flooded with development as KL expanded.

One problem that lingered at that time is the lack of fund. The council had to spend millions per year in maintaining the city public amenities. Back then, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad has been approached to consult this matter. In his progressive ways of decision making, Tun suggested the land which stadium merdeka currently sits to be sold to any interested land developers in return for funds which can offset/fully cover the cost of a new stadium.

The suggestion was perhaps met with uncomfortable responses. Indeed, Tun got his share being painted as a person who downplayed the importance of merdeka (independence). The oldbuilding perhaps was considered sacred as Tunku Abdul Rahman taunted Merdeka! seven times which symbolically proclaimed the independence of Malaya on 31^st August 1957.

It is unbeknown what crazy ideas were going through the minds of the suggesting party, still, do they expect Tun to dig from Petronas deep pockets? No, the development plan was in fact in its first gears when Stadium Merdeka were handed over to UEM ( United Engineers Malaysia )Berhad. UEM even had proposed to redevelop the area into an extensively urban-planned clusters of office tower together with a splendor of shopping complex, retail units, amphitheatre, parks and ala-leisuremall entertainment center. Conceptual sketches (pic below) is a testament of UEM to tear down stadium merdeka and replace it with the ultra modern ‘Plaza Merdeka’

Nobody would have thought that if this 1-billion ringgit project took off, we would half-smilingly asked our KL dwelling relatives “mane awak beli baju ni? “, they’ll responded “ sayer beli di Plaza Merdeka jew “

A billion ringgit is considered by far a huge amount of money back then in 1998. The reason Plaza Merdeka did not come to realization is because the economic turmoil at the moment halted the progress beyond a couple of impressive conceptual sketches. Finally, UEM dropped off its plans to redevelop Stadium Merdeka in order to consolidate itself as it wobbles along the tightrope of economic uncertainties.PNB ( Permodalan Nasional Berhad ) had replaced UEM in the ownership of stadium merdeka. The Plaza Merdeka is surely ambitious and would become a one prestigious address for all, yet, PNB never had the financial capability to execute the project. From that moment, the decline of Stadium Merdeka had taken a nose dive as new, much modern and pleasant looking stadiums spurn elsewhere. Selangor FA had its own home with the monumental calm-like Stadium Shah Alam in 1999. Stadium Merdeka is plague with desertion and faces the threat of degradation as tropical sunlight are harsh and torrential rains punches hard on building structures.

A quick history of Stadium Merdeka provided a glimpse of how joyous this infant nation had prepped itself for independence.  With too little money to spend, Tunku had ordered a special place to commemorate the merdeka which will hold thousand of fellow Malayans as witness. Tunku had envisioned a piazza/pavilion which citizen would eventually utilized to hold activities and meet

ing points. Thus, a British architect heed that call and proposed a lowly elevated hill to be excavated ( Picture Stadium Merdeka as a stadia carved out of a flatten hill ). This idea infact, saves cost and minimize the time taken. On top of all, it serves the purpose without any beams or columns falling off during Tunkus taunt of Merdeka!

A Leash of New Life.

In my 22years of age, I never stepped my foot to Stadium Merdeka. The closest that I got to the stadium would be the Monorail ride as it swiftly passes the Maharajalela station. For whatsoever reason, I had never felt the calling to bring myself in there. And, if you randomly ask 10 other young people they would not prefer to be there. Perhaps they would be there if Black Eyed Peas were to perform there, but the intention to be there would purely be the BEPs presence. The building mostly would fall into the category of semi-presence, worst, absent.

Stadium Merdeka witnessed plenty of sporting events and international artiste had sweat themselves out performing there ( which includes the late Michael Jackson, Avril Lavigne, Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance. In short, Stadium Merdeka is never that sport-stricken facility in terms of utilization. Thus, ongoing daily-basis activities such as mini-gig, creative craft sales, playact classes or public outcry corner can be held over there. Through this effort, StadiumMerdeka may save its grace and avoid desertion.

Breathing Stadium Merdeka a new life is no easy task, but whenever there’s a will, there will be a way. Arsenals’ Highbury Stadium had been gloriously transformed into The Highbury Square, a collection of high-class apartments flanked the football field which has turned into a modern garden. Bare in mind, the Highbury stadium itself is 93 years old when the rejuvenation project was initiated, nearly twice the age of our Stadium Merdeka. Arsene Wenger was invited to the launch of Highbury Square recently, as I can recall, he did not make any architectural remarks about the redevelopment. Only he felt saddened as the place vividly brought out the nostalgics he had while managing The Arsenal. Well, Wegner need not to feel sad, as the Highbury Square still retains resemblance of the stadium superstructure, only, the purpose had been changed. It’s a blessing that Wenger could recall those sweet memories rather than seeing the site being radically replaced by gigantic structures of alien shapes.

In the case of Stadium Merdeka, when a building lost its connection with its occupants, through eventually being left by the latter, than, that building is considered useless and fit to be replaced or adapted to a more useful purpose. Without downplaying the events deemed significant to Malaysia, the subsequent cost to maintain it could prove to be an ongoing financial burden. As usual, some taxpayer may do that usual ‘money is better off spent for the homeless/poor’ which requires the government to again review its stance on the stadium.

Perhaps, like Highbury Square, Stadium Merdeka can be transformed into a courtyard-styled park with each evening people would jog around its track, a lavishly landscaped park with interconnected ponds is possible. A vast corridor can be a welcoming sight with a few flamboyant artist can do a live shows or live painting. A few seats along the astaka can be retained and a small elevated platform would be erected for city folks to practice some freedom of speech. A small memorial can be made within the parameter where Tunku chanted Merdeka as future generation would come and learn. The stadium alone with the hype cannot do this, it is our responsibility to enhance its appeal.

Endless possibilities awaits our historic stadium. Heritage status granted upon Stadium Merdeka in 2003 alone does not mean total immunity from demolition. Its change or perish.

The Expo

Curtain falls as Ramadhan took off the stage. Hari Raya is finally here! We turned into a happy lot who enthuastically munch on our distinct traditional delicacies. But for how long?

On second day of puasa, I went to a friend of mine who supervises a bazaar ramadhan stall here in Bangsars’ Jalan Telawi. As usual, there are streams of people who wanted to grab their meal for berbuka. Not forgetting, others do not puasa (due to different religion or some other reason) who tagged along enjoying the wide selection of food and beverages offered by plethora of stalls over there. That’s fine, Its great to see the different faces of Malaysia wondering at the same bazaar looking for treats.

Everything from sotong bakar, nasi briyani and ayam berempah were present. Smoke billowing from ayam golek madu (honey grilled chicken) tickled my appertite. Sizzling Ikan bakar pre-wrapped with banana leaf whose tempting aroma rises from the frypan ignited a flood of acid inside my tummy. All this, occurred while the first hand of the clock is nowhere near six. Oh! How dreadful waiting can be especially on the second day of puasa.

At the corner end of bazaar, I stumbled upon the Chinese pasar held simultaneously connected through a series of stalls selling fake crocs sandals, potted flowers and China-made clothing bundle. I proceeded walking through the Chinese pasar which stall flanked to my left and right. There is nothing different from the bazaar as the amount of visitors are almost the same, as usual walking through the narrow walkways are painful when you had nothing to see. In terms of items traded, the Chinese market has got a few perishables such as fresh fruits, vegetables and fish (exception of meat), as I am well aware that the market is akin to pasar tani.

One thing that attracted me to walk further into the Chinese market is their inclusion of foodstuff. Earlier on, the bazaar had offered me a visual feast of meal. But this time around, the Chinese market had more to offer than the Malay dominated bazaar. A walk past middle-aged soya seller had me paused a moment along those narrow walkway, staring how the soya being poured into the individual plastic bags before being tied and sold. I know I’m not disillusioned by the many foods displayed that day, but I’m fascinated by the frothiness of the soya milk. Its one of those magic moments for soya lovers like me to grab and taste those thick fresh soya milk.

Of course, this blog entry is just too ridiculous to talk about thick soya milk and magic moments. I proceed and walk farther into the Chinese pasar which by now had my sight on Chinese apam balik. The seller is very generous to give more nuts and corn into the apams. The smell of roasted nuts just enough to drive me nuts, again, it made me walk past the stall very slow that it might had the person behind me grumbled inside their mind “ tengok mau, nak beli tak nak”

At the end of the Chinese pasar, there is one ;perhaps- long established stall that sells laksa which happens to provide seating for its patron. There were plenty of people enjoying their meal. Again the sight of the preparation of food is top notch as the equipment are clean and stills gleams when metal parts are susceptible to fungi growth especially near the bottom edges. I sighted none. Again, generous seller had the laksa kuah thick and much more wholesome ( why am I obsessed with thick gravy?), it seems the content is not compromised. Smiling faces across the three-quarter full stall is a testament that the laksa stall sells good food.

After elapsing a round, Im back to the bazaar ramadhan. Yes, indeed, they do have soya milk, apam balik and laksa( things alike ) here. Sold by Malay Muslim traders  which undoubtedly sells halal food. But halal does not mean halai balai (parents use this northern jargon to refer half-heartedly done job). If I were a food critic, the Chinese pasar food offerings would have won and beaten the bazaar hands down. The Malay-dominated bazaar has got options but lacked that ommph! Imagine soya pouring like tap water. Thin and light that it would ran off your tongue without any traces of texture to devour? They even dare to lie when I ask: “ Kak, soya ni pekat ke?” “ Pekaattttt…..”

I should have uttered “ *insert your curse* “ to her face. Yes, all this hindered from happening, as ramadhan is better rewarded when we exercise patience. In short, Ramadhan is a gateway for these traders to exploit and extort money.

I am saddened by attitude of some of our Malay traders at the recent bazaar. They went ahead to sell their food as if to reach that ‘thousand-ringgit’ critical point and pay down-payment for a new car to show off during Hari Raya. We cherish our food and recipe regarded it as turun temurun yet we failed to appreciate it as much as our pride. Kuih Melaka had its core too small, that it come to a point that it wasn’t sufficient to soak my tongue with gula Melaka. An Ikan-bakar seller in Putrajaya bazaar sells half cooked fish which tasted pungent, I had to call off my buka puasa  since the fish terribly looks, feels and tastes like an alien meat (you’ve seen predator in alien vs.predator? Picture those predator dreadlocks being chopped off and char-grilled ).  This is what it meant by halai balai.

Malay traders must upgrade their food standards. Stop doing nasty jokes like telling people tap-water quality soya is thick to their standard when Chinese soya seller were capable preparing ‘melted-chocolate viscosity’ soya milk. Lard added soya milk might sound ridiculous to what these Chinese soya sellers could achieve, instead, the Malay soya sellers should start thinking instead of throwing tantrums and cast viciously wild doubts about the secret of soya thickness. It goes to the apam balik and laksa too.

Display of true passion

A bazaar ramadhan should have been a food exposition. Like car exposition where automobile companies feature prototype of their best technology and design their minds could ever produce, so does a bazaar ramadhan. It should have showcases the passion of our Malay traders towards their turun-temurun recipes, with their offerings of best-est and high standard that shall impress any living soul that visit the bazaar. Through these food expo, people from different background could have a taste and traders could tugged a few regulars that would bring in good money for the rest 11months or years to come, in the scenario of the traders had a premise. Even though if they do not have fixed premise, an excellent food will undoubtedly receive special orders that these traders could cater to.

As far as I have seen, some sellers are keen to take advantage of the many people that flocked the bazaar. There is clear indication of these sellers pushing for quantity rather than quality. Perhaps, for that down-payment for a new car?  I spent average RM5 for each bazaar visit and I know this amount of money would not make a significant wealth to any traders out there. But, I expect the bazaar stall gave a bit of value stretching to that money. I know my decision is not impaired if I grabbed those thick, more texturized soya from the mid-aged Chinese soya seller. Do not rest on your laurels due to the fact that a Muslim like me MUST find halal food. Halal must include cleanliness, appropriateness of materials and quality.

Regardless of turun temurun or not, a shift can occur if the Malay traders fails to catch up. Chinese had daring ventures from making curries till nasi kandar. No doubt these are not their indigenous food but they can do it well.  Come to think of it, we live in houses made by their contractors, worn shoes repaired by their cobblers, could the food that runs into our bloodline prepared by their hands? Its very possible, and it could be very soon.

When the rendangs I ate and soya I drink are from them. Do ask why I lost faith towards the ones made by ours. Sure, my RM5 would not make anybody poorer. Apalah sangat RM5 tu, ingat besar sangat duit banyak tu… Nak sedap-sedap buat sendirik la…..

Selamat Hari Raya 2009!