KEN is a retiree with plenty of spare time, especially on weekends. His weekdays are occupied with minor gardening, helping the wife with some domestic chores and watching sports programmes on television.
He retired as a civil servant seven years ago and has fond memories of his place of work and colleagues. He was a technician at the Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB).
I bumped into him at one of the food stalls in Bangsar yesterday. He was in a pair of Bermudas with sports shoes and yellow T-shirt. He carried an umbrella as though fearing a downpour.
We ordered our nasi lemak and exchanged greetings with a small group of mosque-goers who must have come to have breakfast after their morning prayers.
Ken and I have two items in common — we are both retirees; and we are both sons of TNB employees, who have passed on for many years.
“Ken, kita tak boleh lari dari Bangsar lah,” I quipped. (Ken, we can’t seem to run away from Bangsar).
Bangsar is where TNB has its headquarters from way back in the 1960s.
It was then known as CEB for Central Electricity Board before it became NEB (National Electricity Board) in the 1970s and then went to become Tenaga Nasional Bhd in the 1990.
Ken has a house in Bangsar and all his children are staying nearby. This makes him and his wife happy because the old couple
can always pop in to see their children and grandchildren anytime.
Ken burst out laughing: “Brother, Bangsar is my life lah. I grew up in Bangsar, studied in Petaling Jaya, worked in Bangsar and now retired in Bangsar.
“This place has everything. Of course many things have changed lah. But I have many friends here. Bangsar has grown, but I know every nook and corner of this place.
“I also know where Rasathi stays lah,” Ken guffawed in the way that only he could.
Rasathi was the cute sister of Lingam. Every boy in the TNB quarters was trying to catch her attention in the 1960s.
Ken concluded that Bangsar, to a large extent, symbolised the growth that is urban Kuala Lumpur in many ways.
Ken proudly proclaimed: “What is there in Malaysia that is not found in Bangsar? Tell me!”
For the purpose of our discussion, Bangsar covers a wide area from Kampung Kerinchi, Pantai, Kampung Haji Abdullah Hukum, the premium area of Bukit Pantai that stretches right through to Bukit Bandaraya area.
Not too far from Bangsar is Brickfields, another popular part of the city with its now well-known Little India handle.
On Sunday morning, thosai and vadai topped up with masala tea in Brickfields can guarantee you a good boost.
Brickfields has its own charm too, but rapid urbanisation has changed it.
I asked Ken if he likes the present Bangsar. The technician in him came out: “I like most of it. Bangsar that we once knew was more laid-back, but there was always something happening somewhere. This change we now see before us was just a matter of time before it happened.”
Ken can be philosophical too. “We can’t always remain like in the old days. We must move with the times. Look at our children. During our time, we lacked the confidence to mix with people from other backgrounds, especially those who were seen to be wealthier.
“You remember the days when we were living in the CEB quarters? I remember we were reluctant to mix with those from the middle class, or seen to be middle class. And vice versa. But today, there’s no such thing.
“Our children are free to mix with anyone they please. There is no barrier.
“There are political differences, but our present generation seems able to put that aside when it comes to friendship.”
I argued that Bangsar may not truly represent the country as a whole. No doubt that Bangsar has a growing middle-class population, but it also has its share of flat dwellers and those in low-income groups who are surviving on a very tight budget.
As we were about to leave, a young man joined the table to have breakfast. He ordered roti canai, teh tarik and two half-boiled eggs. The three of us chatted briefly.
The young man’s name was Haris. He drove a Perodua Myvi and was about to pick up a customer who wanted to go to Subang Airport. I asked if he was an Uber driver.
“Saya bawa GrabCar uncle. Sama saja macam Uber. Cari duit belanja hujung minggu. Tahun depan nak kahwin. Saya duduk di Kampong Kerinchi. Jadi kena cari cukup modal dulu,” Haris said smiling all the time.
(I drive a GrabCar. It is almost the same as Uber. I do this on weekends to earn some extra money. I’m getting married next year so I need to start saving).
Ken paid for Haris’s breakfast, as the young man hurried to his car. Ken said: “See! That young man symbolises us today. Hardworking, full of initiative and responsible. I like him.”
Ken boasted that only Bangsar has this make-up of racial mix that make everyone feel a sense of belonging. Ken may have a point there, but Bangsar certainly provides ample opportunities for any creative entrepreneurial endeavours.
“But I plant my own chillies, brinjals and lady’s fingers. As a retiree, this is very useful and saves me a bit of money. Bangsar living is expensive,” he remarked as we parted company.
Twitter: @aatpahitmanis
Ahmad A Talib is chairman of Yayasan Salam Malaysia.