School of Architecture, Building and Design

Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Architecture

Food and Culture

(CLS 60203)

Project 1: Research Proposal

How does Petaling Street become a place that unite different type of
races people?

Name: Hong Shi Lik

Student ID: 0322081
Tutor: Mr. Nicholas Ng
Introduction

Petaling Street is a Chinatown located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Petaling streets

is one of the historical places in Malaysia that still preserved its historic scale and
character because of its historical importance and traditional culture as a commercial
district. It is usually crowded with locals as well as tourists because of it’s famous for being
a food destination that the Chinese community brought in their food business to the
community. It was very impressive that how this place unites locals people that are
different type races to gathered here. How does Petaling Street become a place that unite
different type of races people?
One of the interesting things that attract and unites the locals people to Petaling
Street is the food. Due to the food business that operate by Chinese community in
Petaling street, the foods here attracted a lot of locals around Malaysia and tourist to
come here and enjoy the foods because it is a way that people from different religious
and culture can share together without any boundaries. Assam Laksa is one of the dish
that this dish originated in Malaysia. This dish has influences from Chinese and Indian
cuisines which suits the local demographic well as the entire area of Petaling street is
dominated by the three main races Malay, Chinese and Indian. The cooking process to
the extremes of flavor from Assam broth, Madras Lane has long been recognised as
having one of Assam Laksas by both tourists and locals alike. All the ingredients used
are supplied by the surrounding wet markets that have been operating since the late
1800’s, this relationship within business is nothing new however shows how food can be
used to establish and strengthen a community.

Another interesting things that make foods become one of the main attract in
Petaling street is that how the food was preserved it culture identity. For example, an
ageing hawker in Petaling Street find ways to preserve their heritage. The owner of a fast-
expanding restaurant chain, Lee Heng Chuan, 60, does not mind hunching over a hot
wok at his old shop in Petaling Street to cook Hokkien mee for his customers. His
restaurant, Kim Lian Kee, is synonymous with good Hokkien mee, something that is not
easy to find in the Klang Valley. It continues to impress Chinese nationals with the
Malaysian culinary creation. Although the small shop can be easily missed by passers-
by, it is kept in its original form as a tribute to its heritage.
Lee’s uncle Ong Kim Lian founded the restaurant in 1927. The family believes that
Ong was the creator of the now ubiquitous Hokkien mee. Ong came to Malaya from the
Anxi county in China’s Fujian province. Unable to find a job, he began selling the noodle
soup that Hokkiens in China savour after religious celebrations. The noodle soup did not
appeal much to customers in the hot and humid climate, so Ong created the dry version
with the heavy flavour and aroma loved by many. He first started out in Kampung Baru
and soon moved to Petaling Street where the response was better. “Then people started
asking the name of the dish and since my uncle was Hokkien, they then called it
Hokkien mee,” Lee said. The eating environment there was also very nice in a sense that
petaling street is actually a very hot place that this restaurant installed air condition for
their customer which is very comfortable for the customer compared to the other kopitiam
eating environment. This attracting locals and tourist actually wanted cool themselves
down and have an experience of taste of the traditional Hokkien mee of Petaling street.
In conclusion, preserved traditional food and different eating environment are one
of the main source that unites people that are from different culture and religious to come
along and sit in one place and have a taste of it and experiences the significance culture
of the Petaling street.

References

Teng, Y. Y. (2014, August 20). Ageing hawkers in Petaling Street find ways to preserve
their heritage - Community | The Star Online. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2014/08/21/woking-the- talk-ageing-
hawkers-in-petaling-street- find-ways- to-preserve- their-heritage/