Durian Kampong.

On 29 November 2013, after the Friday prayer my cousin brother invited me to come along to his maternal ancestral kampong (village) in Sungkai Perak to collect the produce from his dusun durian (durian orchard). I did not realize it is durian season in Sungkai and from Slim River onward I saw heaps of durian by the roadside for sale. Though I grew up practically under a durian tree, I do not really crazy about durian.

We detoured by the old federal highway exit at Tanjong Malim for the famous Tanjong Malim Kopi O and Pau.

We reached Sungkai, Kampong Pekan Lama and headed to the deserted late Uncle Residence. Jan, the local cousin who manage the Dusun had reserved the yesterday and the day drop. He knew we were coming.

We loaded the durian into the boot and I learnt a new trick from my cousin brother. Slices of bread would absorb the durian pungent smell. The trick that I know of was charcoal.

Dato Malik Ahmad brushig off the dirt from the durian.

Bootfull.

Brader Jan.

Enough?

Brader Jan slicing off the fruit.

Tasty.

Looking around the vicinity, I was rather sad to see the once beautiful houses in the kampong is now deserted and run down. The children and grandchildren of these houses are now in big cities and maybe they revisit these houses once a year during Aidilfitri on the way to the ancestral Graveyard. I remember that good old day when my late Uncle was still around, his house was the center of attraction as he was the Ketua Kampong (village Chief). The stand alone public telephone booth for the villagers stationed in front of his residence is now in ruin.

The abandoned heritage.

How I wish some parties, members of the family refurbish these houses, renovate and convert to weekend retreat or home stay. Failing which, in years to come the heritage will collapse to the ground and only remain in memories and photo album.

This kampong, Pekan Lama of Sungkai was once upon a time during its glory day was beside the old north & south federal highway. Travelling north to Ipoh or south to Kuala Lumpur, we would passed by this Kampong Pekan Lama.