As Australia continues its nauseating debate around the processing of asylum seekers and the proposed ‘Malaysia solution‘ finally meets its fate (hoorah!), my family and I have recently returned from a lovely holiday to peninsula Malaysia. We had a fantastic time, and after many years of nearly visiting the country but always deciding at the last minute to head to somewhere a bit more far-flung, can’t believe it took me so long to get there!
Old meets new - colonial shopfronts dwarfed by a modern building in Kuala Lumpur (photo: The Other)
Malaysia is truly the quintessential Asian melting pot, with the main ethnic groups – Malay, Indian and Chinese – each making a distinct and vibrant contribution to the country’s social, cultural and economic fabric. While I knew a bit about Malaysia’s ethnic makeup before visiting the country, to see it in action is another thing and as a traveller, I can’t pretend that my experiences did much more than skim the surface. At a glance there appears ‘One Malaysia’ – from hotels staffed by people from all races to groups of friends with different backgrounds – the dominant racial groups intermingle widely and have a presence across most parts of the economy. Or do they? Pre-dating the long-standing and controverial President Mahathir, government policy preferenced the rights of ethnic Malays – aka the Bumiputra - as a means of redistributing wealth. This worked to disempower dominant ethnic groups, notably the Chinese and Indians, by restricting their ownership of business and ability to work in the public sector. While it appears that the affirmative action policy is no longer officially in force today, its ramifications are profound, and these groups are still marginalised and experience discrimination in many facets of life. For example, it is rare for non-Malays to get jobs in government and the top jobs in corporates are typically given to Malays. Take Imbi Market, a morning hawkers market in Kuala Lumpur, packed with stalls selling very yummy traditional food treats. Apparently the market is going to be shut down, being sacrificed for a big commercial development, and the mostly Chinese vendors are powerless to protest. Perhaps race is irrelevant in this case, but that’s not the sentiment of the local Chinese.
Young girl in the central market, Kuala Terengganu (photo: The Other)
Pernakan Mansion, Penang (photo: The Other)
Not surprisingly, social cohesion is not all that it could be and in a tokenistic effort to unite the different ethnic groups, and present a front of equality, there are initiatives such as ‘Harmony Day’, which we were in Penang for and amounted to little more than a public holiday enjoyed by many.
The average traveller will barely notice any of this though, and to that end, Malaysia does a pretty good job of welcoming tourists and giving visitors a fantastic smorgasbord of culture, including a lifetime’s worth of food to sample. Penang is the gastronomical hub, and locals take great pride in helping you learn about their famous dishes and eating venues. With its recently granted World Heritage status, the island’s Georgetown is fast becoming a muse for creative entrepreneurs and quaint hole-in-the-wall places like Amelie give the island yet another feather in its cap.
Seafood vendor, Gurney Drive, Penang
But for all of Penang’s laurels, the best food I had on our holiday was in none other than Kuala Lumpur, at a modern Malay restaurant called Bijan. Here I enjoyed one of the greatest culinary experiences of my life to which words do no justice: prawns stir-fried in a creamy durian sauce (I lost count of how many prawns I got), accompanied by an outrageously delicious (even carnivorous South African husband agreed) wild fern salad. If you ever get the chance to visit KL, make a booking and make sure you go here. If only a picture could tell a thousand flavours… social harmony or no social harmony, this is all KL needs to lure me back.
Prawns in a durian curry sauce at Bijan
Great post, great pics! So glad you had a good time there. I have to admit I was slightly worried that, after my years of carrying on about the place, you may have not enjoyed it! Now I have to find somewhere to get that durian/prawn curry!
Thanks Tash. I know what you mean as I wasn’t sure how it would compare to its other Asian neighbours. But thankfully it is South East Asian to the core. When I started planning an itinerary, I was struggling to find places in Malaysia that took my fancy, and now have a long list to get through… :0)
The coffee in a few places was really good. The Melbournian coffee snob that I am was quite pleased with that. Malaysia fulfilled a lot more than I knew I desired from a holiday. I also won’t forget the sumptuous lamb that dripped off the bone at Bijan restaurant!
Great write up Carly. Questions is did you try durian in its natural form ?? I’m heading back to Penang end of ths year so I’ll be on the hunt or this durian/prawn curry. Was that Indian or Malay dish ???
Thanks Alvin. It’s a Malay curry, and as you can tell, I highly recommend Bijan for a great, and romantic, night out. It’s on Ceylon Rd. You should book first though. We had to wait, bit well worth it.
And yes, I have tried durian in its natural form, and don’t mind it at all!