Legendary Malaysian art house continues on

Petaling Street Art House [Photo by Shao Leyun/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Over the course of eight years, Chong spent his own money traveling around Malaysia, visiting more than 200 elderly residents and recording their accents, nursery rhymes and Chinese operas. The recordings were not only material for his radio show but also tributes to the memories of these people. When some of the residents passed away, their children asked Chong for their recordings to play at their parents' funerals. "Elderly people don't wait for you,," he said.

People got to know Chong on various occasions. Some people know him because they listen to his radio shows at night. Some people discovered him when they saw him in the old neighborhood striking a gong and handing out flyers for community cultural preservation events together with a Malaysian artist dressed as modern KL's founding father Yap Ah Loy. Some people got to know him when he engaged in performance art after making up half of his face to look like a Chinese Opera performer. Cultural preservation obviously plays a very important role in his life.

Now more people are becoming better acquainted with Chong at the Petaling Street Art House, where Uncle Lee was invited to make another 100 cups of Lok Ann coffee during the 2014 Chinese New Year, where both Malaysian and foreign artists engaged in different forms of performances and where thousand cultural treasures found their new home.

As more residents decided to move out of Jalan Petaling, Chong chose to accompany the old neighborhood. "Even if the art house might close down one day in the future, I will not feel sad or sorry. At least I have done the right thing at the right time in the right space," Chong said.