Latest news with #Makcik
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Malaysia's haunted holidays
SO you want a holiday, huh? But not just any holiday. No. You don't want the usual makan-makan, tidur (sleeping at) hotel, selfie depan (in front of) the Petronas towers. You want something edgy, something spooky, something to make your ancestors raise their eyebrows and ask: 'Anak ni tak cukup kasih sayang ke (This child does not have enough love?)'. Well congrats, sayang, you have just booked yourself on a Dark Tourism Malaysia Tour – brought to you by poor life choices and haunted regrets. First pit stop: Penang War Museum. Yes, war museum. Apparently, walking through underground torture tunnels where people were once interrogated and executed is fun now. Makcik's knees are already shaking and I haven't even reached the first bunker. But you? You're there with your camera, TikTok filter and one brain cell shouting, 'Let's do the night tour!' Why not just tattoo 'Hantu (ghost), come get me' on your forehead?' Also, they say there are ghost sightings and screaming sounds. Of course, you think spirits have nowhere to go? That place is their last known address, okay? Ah, Kellie's Castle – where colonial dreams came to die and ghosts came to squat. Think of it as Scotland meets pontianak, with less whisky and more weird vibes. Let me tell you, only in Malaysia can you find a half-built Scottish castle in the middle of a Perak jungle and somehow people say: 'Wow! So romantic!' Romantic, my foot! The man who built it died before it was finished, probably because even the hantu told him, 'Tuan (Master), this is a bad idea.' Now you can walk through the empty halls and hear things whisper – could be the wind, regret or William Kellie-Smith still upset no one installed proper plumbing. Whichever way you spin it, Makcik says – don't go stripping down like you are in your own living room. The spirits here also got pride, okay? They may be dead but they are not blind! Batu Gajah Detention Centre? Aiyoh, don't get me started. Once a colonial detention facility – home to rebels, communists and anyone who looked at the British sideways. If those walls could talk, they would scream. Now? Half-forgotten and eerily quiet – great for Instagram if you like 'haunted chic'. Meanwhile, in the afterlife, one detainee's on a ghost walkie-talkie: 'Hello control, we've got teenagers doing TikTok transitions in solitary confinement. I got locked up for subversion, not viral content!' A lost, time-travelling tourist from the future shows up with GPS yelling: 'Siri, where's the nearest Starbucks?' And a ghost just facepalms and floats into the bushes. But anak, why you wanna go places like this? Is your life too peaceful? Is the air con in your house not spooky enough? Or is this just your way of saying: 'I want attention but make it supernatural'? Let's be honest – people love dark tourism not because we are historians but because we are nosy, bored and low-key masochists. We love being scared and watching horror films alone. We read crime novels at bedtime and some of us – yes, you – actually pay money to walk into abandoned places that smell like regret and mould. I swear, if Makcik could throw a slipper through Instagram, I would. Also, don't play-play with Malaysian hantu. Western ghosts? They float around looking sad in a wedding dress. Malaysian ghosts? Got backstory, purpose and attitude. You disturb them, they don't just whisper, 'boo'. They follow you home, finish your Milo, rearrange your furniture and sit on your chest at 3am while saying: 'Cakap, tak percaya tadi-kan?' So, please – if you visit: Don't mock, don't act brave, don't suddenly speak English like the ghost doesn't understand. Hantu pun bilingual, okay? Last, but not least, let's not forget the ethics. Dark tourism is not a playground. These places hold pain, history and suffering. You don't go to a war camp and say: 'OMG, aesthetic!' You go to reflect, to remember and to learn – not to pose like you are in a Zara ad, next to a torture cell. You don't get to turn someone else's pain into an Instagram reel with ghost-filter and hashtags like #hauntmewithyou. Takde adab langsung (No manners at all). Respect the space. Respect the stories. And no, don't sell pocong plushies in the gift shop. I don't care how 'cute' the marketing team thinks it is – Makcik bagi flying slipper terus. So... Should you go? Honestly? Yes. If you are ready – ready to learn, feel uncomfortable and ready to face history, colonialism and your own overconfidence – all while sweating in a haunted tunnel. But bring torchlight, proper shoes, some humility and minyak cap kapak – for reasons both spiritual and physical. And most importantly, anak: Don't simply say 'Takde apa pun...(There is nothing here....)' You say that and suddenly your phone battery drops from 90% to 2%. And you'll hear a voice say, 'Cakap lagi? (You want to repeat that?)' Next time you plan a trip, skip the beach, skip the malls and go where the air is still – where the walls remember, where your holiday photos don't smile but stare back. Now go. Explore. Learn. Suffer slightly. And when you come back, don't forget to mandi bunga (ritual flower bath) – standard operating procedure. Makcik out.
AsiaOne
13-05-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
Chicken Supremo owners retiring after 34 years, hawker stall to continue under new owner, Lifestyle News
Fans of Chicken Supremo were hit with a wave of mixed emotions after recent news that the popular Western hawker stall in Jurong would be closing down. An announcement about its impending closure seen online last Wednesday (May 7) had drawn the attention of longtime customers. But the eatery, which has been operating since 1991, took to its Facebook page this past Sunday to clarify that it will not be closing down. Rather, the original owners noted that they will be retiring after more than three decades and that the business is set to continue under new stewardship soon. The caption read: "Uncle together with Makcik will be retiring after 34 wonderful years, but the stall will continue operations under a new owner." Chicken Supremo's new chapter is set to start in June and the stall will be helmed by a "passionate young Malay-Muslim hawker". "We seek your patience and understanding during this transition period as the team has been truly overwhelmed by the support from all of you," the caption added. In the post, the owners urged fans to keep their eyes peeled on their social media page for the latest updates. Customers took to the post's comments section to share their well wishes, with many congratulating the owners on their retirement and hoping the quality of food served at the stall would remain. One Facebook user wrote: "Hopefully, the new owner will continue with the legacy as well as the taste." Established in 1991, Chicken Supremo has grown to be a favourite among residents in the west, serving up Western classics such as Chicken Cutlet, Chicken Chop and Fish and Chip. Address: 493 Jurong West Street 41, #01-02/03, Singapore 640493 Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 1.45pm to 9.30pm. Closed on weekends. [[nid:717424]] amierul@
