Publication Magazine Volume 2 City View | Página 7

PETALING STREET IN
CHINA TOWN
Petaling Street
Historical Background
Back in the olden days when Malaysia was still
known as ‘Tanah Melayu’ or Malaya, the Chinese
had come to this country to work at the tin mines.
However, during the Selangor Civil War, the tin
mines were temporarily abandoned. The Chinese
returned after the war, only to find the mines
flooded. Yap Ah Loy, an influential Chinese figure
back then, had opened a tapioca mill on Petaling
Street in his bid to persuade the Chinese to stay
on. To this day, Petaling Street is sometimes called
‘Chee Cheong Kai’, meaning ‘Starch Factory
Street’ in Cantonese, referring to its history as the
centre for the production of tapioca flour back then.
Since then, Petaling Street has been given a facelift.
Gone are the patchy roads, broken pavements and
colourful umbrellas attache to wooden pushcarts lining
the street on both sides.
A green awning covers the length of the street, acting as
a roof to shield vendors and shoppers from the heat and
the rain. An Oriental-style archway with the words ‘Jalan
Petaling/Petaling Street’ spelled out in gold letters greets
visitors at its main entrance.Petaling Street is sometimes
called ‘Chee Cheong Kai’, meaning ‘Starch Factory
Street’ in Cantonese, referring to its history as the centre
for the production of tapioca flour back then.
Petaling Street is sometimes called ‘Chee Cheong Kai’,
meaning ‘Starch Factory Street’ in Cantonese, referring
to its history as the centre for the production of tapioca
flour back then.
By The star online.
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