A visit to Perlis is not complete without dropping by at Nat Pokok Getah, writes Alan Teh Leam Seng.
THE day is still at its infancy but the single carriageway road leading towards Nat Pokok Getah is already chock-a-block with traffic.
This, however, comes as little surprise as shoppers from southern Thailand in the north as well as Perak and Penang in the south make a beeline for Perlis' best known tourism product - the biweekly morning market on Sunday and Friday mornings.
For the uninitiated, the word nat, unique to Perlis and Kedah, refers to the day market or pasar hari which has survived centuries of change in this part of the Malay Archipelago.
Located within Pauh's quaint Kampung Kubang and just a stone's throw away from Arau, this well-patronised marketplace is uniquely set within the confines of a flourishing rubber estate.
Coexisting harmoniously with Mother Nature, vendors set up stalls in spaces between the trees and make full use of their trunks as support for their canopies during bad weather.
BREAKFAST TREAT
With Jalan Raya Persekutuan R6, that links the Perlis royal town with the Changlun-Kuala Perlis highway, bisecting Nat Pokok Getah into almost two equal sections.
Vendors selling freshly harvested agricultural produce set up shop on one side while the area across the road is where antique dealers and second-hand goods vendors congregate.
At the same time, stalls selling local snacks and delectable culinary delights take up position along both sides of this bustling road for better visibility.
With the delicious aroma of satay and marinated chicken pieces cooking over hot coals wafting conspicuously in the air, giving in to temptation seems the most natural thing to do especially after having skipped breakfast at home to take in the early morning action here.
Judging from the brisk business where piping hot satay skewers are practically flying off the trays, it is amply evident that this recently reopened food and shopping destination has not lost its lustre despite suffering a near two-year pandemic-induced hiatus.
The Perlis economy, mirroring the other parts of Malaysia, is once again chugging along like a well-oiled machine.
Fully satiated and well energised after washing down the tantalising snack with a cup of icy cold milk tea, the sojourn progresses to the fresh produce section with an added spring to my step.
Apart from newly harvested vegetables, seafood from nearby Kuala Sanglang and Kuala Perlis fishing communities enjoy a strong following.
Devoid of middlemen, the fish, prawns and crabs are sold at markedly lower prices than at the state capital Kangar which is a mere 12km away.
After making brief stops to purchase some fresh produce, the meandering path traces the footsteps of those in search of all things preloved.
Relatively livelier than the other sections, stalls selling second-hand goods in this area are packed with eagle-eyed bargain hunters and thrifty consumers who are keen to stretch their Ringgit to the max. Most crowded are stalls selling bundle clothes.
TREASURE HUNTERS
While a majority are on the lookout for relatively new imported clothes sold at for just a few Ringgit, a small number rummage through the mountain of garments looking for valuables and money.
This novel form of treasure hunting occasionally yields handsome rewards as most vendors purchase second-hand clothes by the container load and hardly have time to sift through them properly as consignments come in from places like Europe and Japan very regularly.
Apart from watches and currency notes, small jewellery pieces are primarily found in clothes with hidden pockets.
Completely forgotten by their original owners, these valuables are either unwittingly thrown away or donated to charities together with the outfits.
Once detected, the lucky person tries hard to contain his or her excitement, make the purchase and quickly head off to some quiet place to inspect the fruits of their labour.
Besides clothes, customers throng this section in search of electrical goods, toys, magazines and even tools like wrenches, drills and screwdrivers.
Interestingly, a small portion of these visitors are serious collectors who visit this rich hunting ground regularly for much sought-after collectibles like vintage photographs, century old documents and even rare postcards.
While other flea markets throughout the country also yield such items, hobbyists particularly favour the ones from Perlis as items hailing from this smallest state in Malaysia come in smaller quantities, thus making them rarer and more desirable.
Despite leaving this section empty handed, I am all smiles as the items purchased earlier will allow me to whip up something for my family later this evening.
FAST FACTS
Nat Pokok Getah Pauh
Kampung Kubang
Jalan Raya Persekutuan R6
02600 Arau, Perlis.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT
Although there are lots of food choices available, keep a look out for those that are unique to this region like emping padi.
Made from pounded immature padi grains that have been mixed with grated coconut and sprinklings of salt and sugar in a heated wok, this rarely seen and tasty northern Malaysia snack is a common feature at Nat Pokok Getah.
TIPS
As the place has more than 200 stalls, it pays to explore in a systematic manner in order not to miss out on anything interesting.
It is best to check out one side of the day market in its entirety before crossing the road to explore the remaining stalls. Do not hesitate to backtrack as some are definitely worth a second or even third look.
It is also best to start early and keep an open mind as pleasant surprises do crop up quite often.
If your visit in Perlis is more than just a day, check out other weekly morning markets and pasar malam like Nat Tambun Tualang (Monday), Kuala Perlis Night Market (Tuesday), Nat Balai Baru (Wednesday), Pasar Malam Batu Bertangkup (Thursday) and Kangar Farmers' Market (Saturday) in the state.
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