open secret - ( petaling street )

Picture of a fortune teller operating outside of the law

Art director: Sia Hong Jie

Project Manager: Koh Sung Jie

Editor: Evelin Devina, Ghaida Rashad

Graphic Designer: Ricco Soh Zheng Wei, Sham Zhen Wen

Photographer: Kan Sook San, Ong Seng Peng

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Printed in Malaysia

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Open secret

The painting of the memory on the wet vessel

of a place is continually and beautifully polished by time.

Brushes of dark strokes and a few bumps as parts of the piece.

Supporting the community, accepted as one. Often ignored

but not forgotten.

目錄

4.

12.

30.

38.

ContentIntroduction

Poetic Interpretation

Parameter servey

Conclusion

前言

introduction

Laws are made to maintain the stability of communities. The

line is drawn with many reasoning, be it to the advantage of majority, to support what is considered ‘good’ by most, is believed to maintain the balance of people, etc. Still it won’t satisfy the need of every single individual on earth. There are parties whose definition of ‘good’ is different, whose faith to their belief is stronger than the law, may be who need to go out of bounds to survive. Likewise, the two sides of the same coin, the supporting and opposing parties towards the order will exist side by side.

People who do accordingly to the law become the good people whilst the ones who go beyond the line are considered a disturbance, but both have their own role in this world. They have

their own idea and reasons of the ‘right’ thing to do. In this paper, our team took the pulse of the balance of order that had been built in a particular community: Petaling Street. Being a tourist spot for its trading activities for visitors and infamous for the area with law unto themselves, we studied into the trading activities happening in the area. It’s a common knowledge that not all of the businesses are above board. Hence, the research is to throw some light on how the disorderly trading conducts in Petaling Street came to exist. The price to pay for such activities affects the economy, culture, and life of the residents, thus we are to look into the matters as well.

Introduction

前言

9

In the attempt to conduct a proper documentation and analysis of Petaling Street, some measures were taken to collect the necessary information. A direct exposure to the place is a necessity to get the firsthand information.

The site was observed and explored to bring light to the study. Drifting around with purpose around the area in attempt to get the idea of its memory and present condition. Therefore, individual and personal perceptions can be generated. Local and foreign visitors who came temporarily; and business owners who make their life out of the activity have their own particular attitude towards the place and activities happening around them.

Hence, quantitative measures in form of questionnaires were taken from the different user party to achieve specific data:

The residents living their life or making their life from the place are the personification of the land’s soul. Thus, a direct connection with the people will give important perspective and answers to the study, providing the memory which outsiders won’t see. Visitors who help to make the place alive and happening are not to be forgotten as another important factor to get the drift of the spirit’s embodiment, as how the outsider sees the community. Both factors are interconnected to each other. Lastly, existing data and literature information are to be reviewed as another reference in the study.

There are different types of illegal activities happening at Petaling Street. The most common are the trading of pirated and stolen goods from Pasar Karat, the brothels’ prostitution activities, and the drug dealing business. Although they are all illegal and immoral, people have accepted the fact and entirely legalized those exposed on street levels but find those hidden extremely corrupt.

For one reason, people in Petaling Street are exposed to these markets daily and it is within easy reach that it quickly became part of the norm. Moreover, the majority benefit from the illegal goods and therefore they legalize it as it is towards their own favor. Hence at the end of the day, both parties (the sellers and the costumers) are pleased. On the other hand, the brothels and the drug dealing business are more sensitive issues encountered which are considered sinful and immoral because of the cultural and religious values of the majority. Therefore, they are rejected and considered completely criminal. However, a working party in these “black activities” had completely accepted these acts as it may be seen as the only possible way to secure their income.

Since Petaling Street is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the excessive amount of people encourages diverse job opportunities, despite it being legal or illegal, moral or immoral. These businesses, like the counterfeit and stolen goods that have been running on the site for so many years have become the main attraction to Petaling Street. Although the counterfeit goods are generally considered illegal, this kind of trade is globally famous that in most cases, it is no longer considered as illegal. It has flourished Petaling Street more than the legal trades that runs on the site. Which on the other hand, has stolen the original settlers’ income that has been run by generations and invaded the original essence of the site, which was once known as the food haven.

According to one of the roast duck stall owners, the business has changed, nowadays, it’s only old people who come to buy or their children, only for nostalgic sake. On the other hand, the brothels and drug dealing that occur at the hidden lane of the site is what set a corrupt image and increase the crime rate of the site. Although based on the interviews conducted this

前言

11

seem to be affecting the visitors more than the locals. In fact, the locals seem to be numb to the whole image that they don’t find it threatening anymore. However, from some of the visitors’ point of view, these activities repel them from the site where they do not feel secure strolling around the site or visiting the site at all. But to other visitors, this elusive image of the site, where it is dilapidated and broken at some parts but boost with vibrancy on the other, creates curiosity to explore more of the site.

印象

Poetic Interpretation

15

Looking back at how hard the original Chinese people worked to start and build Petaling Street with the pride of their ethnic identity, the spirit and culture seem to have been fading away.

Aside of the big, strong entrance gate as the remembrance of the former glory and some small footmarks left, the place seems to have lost its way in the globalization flow.

Who to blame when people are just trying to scratch some pennies from

the evergrowing desire of other people? Still, what about the sleepless nights, effort,

and time invested in a product to build its trademark identity,

only to be stolen later on?

1 Poetic interpretation

In an attempt to get the best in their life, people are trying to involve the confidence

and help from something that they can’t understand with their mind

alone.

A new hope, guidance, relief, taking every chance they can have to peek at the future, the time and events which are yet to come.

People are not fond of unfavoured surprises.

印象

17

In the middle of the hustle and bustle of the market,

some people are lying around in their small, obscure bubble.

Asking for some fortune and mercy from the fast-paced, ignorant world.

Passing yet another day.

Making a living from the nature, the ‘Amak’ mediates the naturerichness to the people.

In faithfulness delivering the treasure of the land becomes accessible to anyone, giving some smiles to families and new strength to continue on with life.

Where are the goods originated from?

Not something the community would like to consider in their mind

so long the trade business is profitable to them,

both sellers and customers

Visitors are not at fault oftaking interest in pirated products.

Content with their own life within their financial capability, help the owners to make their living. Yet, is it just for the creator and inventor of such branding?

印象

印象

A humble living of a meat seller in a low profile old market.

Hidden from the skim of the eyes, the small alley hidden by the street

creates a life capsule of unchanging lifestyle of the people

from old times.

21

Signboards become silent, surviving witness of the history and exhibit mute explanations about the soul of the place at present.


印象

An open secret is allowed to exist because people turn a blind eye against it. Even when the signs clearly say “No counterfeit products allowed”, the merchants persist. The customers engage the sellers and provide them business. Even more, the present police officer also turns a blind eye and accepted the trade as natural part of Petaling Street.

25

The doctrine of caveat emptor would apply in the bargaining happened in Pasar Karat more than Petaling Street.

Residing next to Petaling Street, it becomes an alternative for locals who searched for goods as cheap as chips.

Interests grown within the people are then suppressing the authentic products and shops. Faces of foreigners keep replacing the local Chinese community.

However, they do contribute to the economy by maintaining the working sector, making this situationa dilemma of focus between the conservation of culture and heritage and a need for working force.


The degradation of the place leads to the degradation

of the activities carried out.

The young generation has lost interest in the place and another party

replaces them by illegal and “seemingly” legal activities.

What they are doing might not seem right, but nonetheless they do it openly,

for all to see. This is the Open Secret.

印象

A fast glance at the street shows the gleaming and full of colour busy market daily life, passing by the darkness creeping in-between the dance of colours. Generations had been leaving their memory in Petaling Street, slowly forming a forest of community from a seed of tree. Brushes of colour added on top of the colour base, creating another frame of mind. A history. Dark and bright colours of the painting, sleekness and bumps on wet mould surface, all of those create a community called Petaling Street.

They are no strangers of the community, they are one part of the piece.

At the other end, untouched by the flow of the time, a small community by the backstreet alley of the colourful market facade has been living in a time capsule. Like a time warp door to another dimension, a narrow opening leads to the past. Where people don’t get itchy feet, they are not disturbed by the world. They stay true.

印象

數據

Parameter survey

Data Analysis

OWNERS/WORKERS

We interviewed more locals than foreigners as the locals are more approachable to us. Most of the people setting up business here come from all ages.However, through observation, the local merchants are usually older than the foreign ones.

數據

33

Their opinion towards Petaling Street are mixed, more of them being positive. As Petaling Street has become their daily lives, 63% do not consider Petaling Street as the Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur anymore and most of them want the government to take action on improving the location. When asked about illegal shops and stalls, they commented that it do not affect their business thus 63% of them do not want them to be eliminated.

VISITORS

Parameter Survey

數據

The types of visitors interviewed were even, having 50/50. However, the visitors interviewed with the questionnaires were young adults as most older visitors were office workers who do not have time nor interest in taking part of the survey

35

When asked about their impression on Petaling Street, 4 of them had a more positive opinion while 2 of them think that the place has lost its character. Most of them visit Petaling Street because it is a tourist attraction and they found interest in buying apparel, food and other products. Moreover, all of them have bought them from roadside stalls.

Half of the visitors still consider Petaling Street as the Chinatown and the others do not. Only one of them is aware that there are illegal activities at work there. None of them has tried the illegal services. Two-thirds of them wants the illegal activities abolished.

37

A rubber shop owner

The business is hidden at the upper floor of the shop house along Jalan Sultan and a back alley of Jalan Sultan. If there are old men sitting at the entrance of staircase, they are mostly pimps who approach the customers. It is usually patronized by the foreign workers to fulfil their sexual desire. If prostitution is eliminated, the rape crime rate might increase as there’s no place for them to satisfy their “needs”. The whole Kuala Lumpur is Chinatown as it is mostly occupied by Chinese. I think not only Petaling Street can represent the presence of Chinese culture.

An owner of Chocha food store and Interior Designer

We came back as Petaling Street is given that notorious impression such as unsafe and unhygienic. As part of the young generation, we have the responsibility to contribute something (through business) to this society. I would still go to Petaling Street’s florist to purchase some fresh flower for my café.

A customer

Regarding the illegal for-eign workers, they managed to escape from police by closing their stalls and then hiding at the places where the police could not find. Even though they are arrest-ed by the police, they will be re-leased if they are willing to pay the “coffee money”. This is the “open secret”. The law enforcement is not strict enough and nobody is willing to stand up for this issue. If there is any discussion on “inap-propriate” issues such as “buying second hand house”, the person will be arrested. Therefore, the problem is still unsolvable.

A false teeth maker

The problem of foreign workers cannot be solved anymore and it is not a negative issue. We rely on them for many things. If they are eliminated from our country, the shop owners will be helpless as they need the foreign workers to help them such as preparing food, cleaning the shop and etc. “Are you willing to do these? Are you willing to do it with RM1000 salary? Are you willing to work at wplaces without air-conditioning? If you guys are not going to do it, who is going to do it?”

Comments/Opinions by Locals

結論

Conclusion

The wind of news from The Star has reached the ear of

the public on 17th March 2016. The written ink stated a saddening truth that the nature selection of economy is to cut 1 out of 5 Petaling Street shop doors in a near period of 6 counting months. Just to sustain the seeds that had been laid down has truly broken the legs of the small people who tried to break a leg.

Those people who put their luck on the mountains of goods purchased at the starting line have been struggling to cash the mountain over the long ticking time. Making things worse, raw materials keeps hiking its value and the supposed shop helpers ‘helped’ with higher salary demand. Both factors and the inclining shop rent after the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) had crippled the sustainability of the business. Spying openly through the road, our team found the roadside stalls had won the election over the shops by the visitors. The competition had had a big margin with the stalls leading a wide step.

From the local owners’ sidelines, most operators have reached more of their allowed life time. Their children, who accepted higher education, sought for a better life, and thus leaving their family business. These children have more care to go than the will to stay. Adding clouds upon more clouds, another party then came to cash in on the situation, immigrants from the neighboring countries such as Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Philippines and more. Their frontline in Petaling Street had made the place lose its ground as Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. The Malaymail 24th February 2016 stated the black and white data that the foreign labor brought more grit with them to take in lower pay. It is not a raw deal for them either, taking into consideration the situation in their homeland. Meals can be served to their family’s table by working in Malaysia, and the work does not include high intelligent requirements thus is very easy to pick up. Some people travelled into the land legally whilst others entered behind closed doors.

Conclusion

結論

41

They then started opening stalls which are not bound by nor rent payment neither taxes. The goods origins are off the record and sold for the price of an apple and an egg. Quoting from one customer we interviewed, “Even though they are arrested by the police, they will be released if they are willing to pay the ‘coffee money’.” Moreover, our team’s observations have shown that even the force has swept it under the rug. A rubber shop owner directly linked the prostitution to the presence of foreign workers as the demand comes from them. However, we have shed light that there is a notion that the business is preventing foreign workers from turning a trick to locals. Unconsciously, the foreign residents became the ones who maintained the economy in Petaling Street in the tourism

aspect. Nonetheless, one can argue that the notoriety of Petaling Street is due to its illegal business and the presence of foreign workers. The locals dishing the dirt of how they can threaten public safety also brings negative impact to the place. The interest of public may decline as the word is spread. We believe that the carrots are not cooked yet. Every cloud has its silver lining but it is sometimes a little difficult to get it to the mint.

open secret - ( petaling street )

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