August 7, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – Steeped in heritage, family history and craftsmanship, the making of traditional wooden clogs, called “kha kiak” in the Hokkien dialect, seems to be losing its allure as sales have declined drastically.
One of the few clog makers left now is Tan Yang Ling, 77, who remains steadfast.
“Since the Covid-19 pandemic, my sales have declined by 50%.
“It used to be a thing to wear them daily and once they wore off, they would be replaced with a new pair.
“During the pandemic, people had nowhere to go and then probably realised they no longer needed to wear them.
“I realised when I resumed business that not many came to get a new pair like they would.
“I guess it no longer makes a difference and they have other shoes to wear,” he said when met at his workshop in Jalan Danby here.
Tan’s tiny shop may look humble but it is steeped in family history.
“I learnt the craft from my father, right here in this shop. Then at age 12, I stopped school and pursued this full-time.
“Back then, it was the way of life to learn the family trade and take over.
“Four of us brothers in my family learnt the trade but they stopped long ago. I was the only one who carried on,” he said.
Tan said before the pandemic, he had apprentices but when Covid-19 hit, they said it is not a business that is lucrative enough.
“It takes years of learning to make these clogs and many do not have the patience. Even my three children have pursued other ventures.
“It does not make much money, so I have accepted the fact that my children will not follow in my footsteps.
“It does make me sad that this will end with me, as from my knowledge, there are very few of us left making clogs in Malaysia.
“I am the only one right now in Bukit Mertajam,” he added.
Tan said he still does have people who come in to buy clogs.
“I have three types: the basic, daily use pair; another pair where the wooden part is painted red and used during Chinese coming-of-age rituals and another for Chinese couples who use them to decorate their bridal rooms and wear them while praying during the wedding ceremony.
“The wedding pair requires some artisanal work, which I outsource,” he added.
Tan said currently, there is a company from Selangor that orders from him in bulk.
“They are like the middleman for me, which has helped my business. I can make up to 70 pairs a day when there are orders.
“In my lifetime, I have probably made more than a million pairs,” he added.
Tan said the cost of wood, paint and even the plastic uppers have gone up.
“I do not sell them for much, so my income has dwindled. But this is the only job I have ever known and I will continue to make clogs until the end.
“It is sad that it is a dying trade as I have worked hard on this and spent so many years mastering it, yet there is no one to carry it forward.”
For now, Tan said he will always make his way to his humble shop daily to make clogs until his health no longer permits it.