[VIDEO] The concrete jungle crushes Hari Raya Aidilfitri memories

AIDILFITRI is the most anticipated time of the year for Muslims looking forward to reuniting with family and close friends from near and far.

It brings back a lot of childhood memories: the ‘Takbir Raya’, the purchasing of colour coordinated clothing for the entire family, the lighting of kerosine lamps and the fragrant smells of mouth-watering dishes wafting up from the kitchen being cooked in the wee hours in the morning.

However, Farah Fahmy – who has lived abroad for the past 25 years – laments the disappearance of the familiar.  

Although Farah, an ‘Anak Jati’ from Jalan Hamzah in Kampung Baru often comes back home to visit, the rapid development that has hit the community has caused her some amount of grief as she no longer recognises her childhood stomping grounds.

Farah, who now resides in England, shares her reflections of Kampung Baru with The Vibes Culture and Lifestyle.

“I find that KL has changed a lot. I feel sad especially on how Kampung Baru has become.

“With instant development, it’s almost… as though those in power do not care about what is happening to Kampung Baru, other than it’s in the middle of the city with land value that is high,” she said when met by The Vibes.

Having said that, the mother of two strongly believes the authorities should be looking into preserving Kampung Baru as a heritage area, seeing that it is a rustic close-knit Malay community that is both charmingly simple and rich in tradition.

“I feel that people in this country, people in KL particularly, should learn more about the history of Kampung Baru and appreciate its heritage.

“The government, DBKL, could do a lot more in promoting Kampung Baru as a heritage area. 

“We are not just all about 'nasi lemak’. There is more to it. We’ve got amazing architecture for starters,” she stated.

Apart from that, Farah also fears that if left forgotten, all the traditions of the area will never be experienced by the current generation, including her own children.

On another note, Farah’s brother Fuad Fahmy – Kampung Baru walking tour host – explains that although several traditions are still being practised in Kampung Baru, the concrete jungle has indeed taken over the last village in Kuala Lumpur. 

“Festivals here in Kampung Baru such as Ramadan are still pretty much the same. 

“However, the environment here has changed a lot and that is something we cannot avoid. 

“Development is inevitable, however Kampung Baru needs to be preserved because it is the last Malay reserve in central Kuala Lumpur,” he stressed. – The Vibes, April 23, 2023