Revive Terengganu’s Kampung Cina, say local traders

 

The Terengganu government wants to rebrand Kampung Cina as Chinatown to draw foreign tourists. (Facebook pic)

KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu’s historic Kampung Cina, one of the state’s major Chinese-majority settlements, needs to be revived, say local traders.

They say Kampung Cina has seen reduced tourist activity after the ferry operations were shifted from the nearby Syahbandar Jetty to Taman Tamadun Islam Jetty 6km away.

The shift last year was to enable the Taman Tamadun Islam Jetty to receive tourists headed for Pulau Redang.

Boutique hotel and cafe owner Erik Lee Fei Hong, 43, said tourists landing at the Syahbandar Jetty used to frequent the nearby Pasar Payang in Kampung Cina, famous for its local products.

“They could walk to Pasar Payang, eat in town, and visit other parts of Kuala Terengganu,” he said, adding that locally made snacks and goods were popular among the visitors.

“Last year was still okay. This year, there have been fewer visitors.”

Lee also said some old buildings at Kampung Cina look dilapidated and empty, with weeds overgrowing in their compounds.

“Many appear to have been abandoned. Some have been torn down and renovated, and their original unique facade is gone,” he said.

Erik Lee Fei Hong says Terengganu should play up its unique Peranakan culture if the state’s Chinatown project is to succeed.

Lee, a fourth-generation Peranakan Chinese, lamented that the small-scale tourist attraction programmes held at the shopping centres were “not encouraging”.

He said the government should play up the state’s unique Peranakan culture if its Chinatown project is to succeed.

“We should play up our culture. Melaka has its Baba Nyonya culture; in Terengganu, we have Mek Awang,” he said.

The Terengganu government had recently announced that it would rebrand Kampung Cina as Chinatown in its efforts to draw foreign tourists.

Kampung Cina, whose main road is about 1km long, is said to be over 300 years old. Opened at the end of the 19th century, it is believed to be one of the earliest Chinese settlements in Malaya.

Toh Zhen Han says lanterns used to be put up for Chinese New Year, and stage shows were held to commemorate certain festivals.

Restaurant operator Toh Zhen Han, 30, said Kampung Cina has become quiet and not as lively as it was during his childhood days.

He said lanterns used to be hung out for Chinese New Year, but the town had stopped doing so recently.

“The lanterns were displayed by certain communities this year. If no one had volunteered to do so, there would be no lanterns,” he said.

Toh said he misses the festivals that were held when he was a child.

“Stages were set up during these festivals. They don’t do that anymore.

“The shops were also decorated during Chinese New Year, and there were night markets like in Melaka’s Jonker Street,” he said.

Toh also agreed that the shifting of the jetty operations has reduced the number of visitors to Kampung Cina since it is not within walking distance.

He hopes to see Chinatown regain its popularity “when people would travel from afar just to visit Kampung Cina”. - FMT