Exploring Perlis - Flea Market Day and Pasar Pagi in Pauh and Arau

This was my story published in Travel Times New Straits Times in 2014

Exploring Arau

I like tapai. In my opinion, this deliciously sweet traditional dessert is best consumed cold, straight out of the refrigerator. As far as I can remember, I have always bought this popular bite sized fermented glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves. Lime my mother, I like to mix it with the residual liquid from the container. This makes it moist and enhances the flavour.

It is only recently that I discovered another way to pack tapai - using rubber tree leaves. My trip to check out the flea market in Perlis revealed this novel technique. Not willing to let the opportunity pass, I bought an entire bunch. At that time I was definitely curious to taste the difference, if there is any.

Chatting in between serving the endless line of customers, I learn from the vendor that they started using rubber leaves several years back. 'There are a lot of rubber trees in Sungai Petani and it is much easier to get than banana leaves,' said the friendly lady when handing me back my change.

I take my purchase and walk to a quieter part of the market and begin to unwrap one. I carefully remove the stapler pin, take out the plastic bag containing the residual juice and open the leaf to reveal a pale yellowish mass with the familiar fragrance. I slip the tapai into the plastic bag, using my fingers to mix it with the juice for a few moments. Then the moment of truth arrives.

The taste is very different. Just to be very sure, I eat another one. By then, I am very sure that tapai made using rubber tree leaves tastes better than the ones fermented using banana leaves. Even the fragrance is enhanced. I guess the explanation for this is that rubber tree leaves are denser compared to banana leaves. This way heat and moisture can be retained longer and thus prolonging the fermentation process.

I have asked several of my friends the directions to the Pauh Sunday market in Perlis and all of them tell me that the place is very easy to find. The directions given are simple and easy to remember.

'Use the north south expressway. If you are coming in from the south then turn out at Jitra (Exit 182 B) before driving towards Kangar. It will be is easy to drive along that road which links Kedah and Perlis since it was widened several years ago. Slow down once you reach Arau. Look out for the Shell petrol station and take the right turn immediately after it. Pauh is just a few minutes' drive after that. Simple.'

However, while I am driving there I suddenly decide to try out my new GPS gadget thinking that it will take me on an even shorter route than the one my friends had suggested. Little did I realise what a huge mistake that was.

Instead of getting me there faster, my new state-of-the-art satellite-guided gadget with its voice navigation capability takes me on the scenic and much longer route. I should have realised that something was amiss when the gadget instructed me to continue driving instead of turning out at the Jitra expressway exit.

Obediently following the voice navigation to the letter, I end up going up all the way to Changloon and then entering the highway heading towards Kuala Perlis. The road seems to go on and on with Pauh nowhere in sight. The worst part of all is when I arrive I realise that it is wrong side of Pauh from where the flea market is located!

Exasperated, I finally decide to switch off my expensive gadget and fall back on to the time tested and fail proof way of getting directions. I stop by the road and ask for directions at the local warung.

The locals here are very helpful. First group I meet at the entrance of the coffee stall volunteers to give me precise directions. Then, in the midst of hand gestures and voices, one elderly gentleman stands up and tells me, in such a commanding voice that make me believe that he used to be a member of our army personnel, to follow him as he will be going that way.

The morning market is already in full swing by the time I arrive. Cars, mini vans and lorries share the narrow road, which bisects the market, with motorcyclists without helmets. The wet market is on my right while the flea market is on the side which is actually a rubber estate.

There is no specially designated area to park. I see many motorists park haphazardly in between the rubber trees. As time passes by more and more vehicles start to arrive. The rubber estate 'car park' begins to expand in size. Through experience, I know it will be difficult for me to leave later on in the day if I am to join the pack. So, I continue driving until I come to a row of single storey shop lots. All have yet to open for business since it is still early. I figure that it will be fine to park here as long as I leave before the shops open.

I head for the flea market first hoping to find bargains. There are at least ten vendors selling thing things that I would describe as 'treasures of the past'. There are old wall clocks, brass kitchen utensils, vintage brass irons and even bicycles used in the 1950s. I find it fascinating to stand and watch the bargaining process between the seller and his prospective buyer. A successful deal leads to the exchange of cash for goods while an unsuccessful one will see the prospective buyer walking away, probably in search of something else.

After an hour I bid the flea market farewell. No luck this time. I did not manage to find anything that catches my fancy.

I walk back to the main road and decide to check out the wet market before I leave. One thing that catches my eye is the sheer number of Udang Galah on sale. According to the sellers, these Malaysian Giant Freshwater Prawns are still found abundantly in the Perlis rivers. As I stand there watching, a lady walks by and buys 2kg of these blue crustaceans and paid RM80 without batting an eyelid. Expensive but buying that amount, these prawns must surely be tasty.

Glancing at my watch, I realise it is time to leave as the shops will be open soon. Along the way I manage to pick up some tapai, pineapples and local kuih to eat during the journey back.

I keep my GPS device safely in the bag during the return leg of the journey. I am much wiser now. I will only use it when I get back to the city. I guess, that is the time when it will be most useful.

Using the route recommended by my friends, I slowly trace my way back to Alor Star. During the journey, I manage to make a few stops in Arau to do a bit of sightseeing.

Istana Arau and the Royal Gallery are not open to the public. The former is the official home of the Raja of Perlis while the latter houses the artifacts and historic items that belong to the royal family. Further down the main road is the Royal Mosque and Royal Mausoleum.

Istana Arau, built during the reign of Raja Syed Alwi Jamalullail, has several large halls designed for various state functions. These include the Royal Banquet Hall, Blue Room and Green Room. The Blue Room is used by heads of departments and state representatives while the Green Room is used by dignitaries and foreign ambassadors during their official visits.
Across the road is the Perlis Royal Mosque which was built in 1972. It can accommodate up to 7,000 worshippers at any one time. The upper floor is reserved for women only. The pulpit or mimbar is more than 100 years old, having been made during the reign of Raja Syed Saffi Jamalullail. It was first used in the Arau Old Mosque and transferred to the Royal Mosque when the former was demolished and the latter built on the same location.

The Royal Mausoleum is divided into two separate sections. Tengku Sulaiman (acting Raja of Perlis when Tuanku Syed Putra was the Yang Di Pertuan Agong), Tuanku Syed Putra and Tengku Budriah are buried in the new Royal Mausoleum while the earlier members of the Royal family are buried in the older section nearby.

Right across the road is a small lane which is flanked by rows of pre war shop houses. Although most of them are closed during the weekend, I manage to visit two sundry shops that have been in business since Merdeka. The interior looks nearly the same as that I have seen in other parts of Malaysia. Collectors consider these shops a treasure trove of old left over stock. Sadly, the older contents here have been bought up by collectors years ago. Looks like there are many 'treasure hunters' active in Perlis as well.

The Arau railway station used to be located at the end of this street but now nothing is left except a small stall with a sign that states it used to be the station canteen. The old railway station was demolished recently to make way for a larger one nearby. The new station with its expanded car park can accommodate a larger influx of passengers to Arau once the electrified double tracking system comes into service soon.

Just as I am about to leave Arau, I come across the large Bunga Mas sculpture by the main road. The large structure painted in gold serves to remind me of the state's rich history. Initially Perlis was part of Kedah but it managed to gain autonomy from Bangkok when Siam invaded and ruled Kedah directly in 1821. When Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah was reinstated to the Kedah ruling house in 1842, Perlis became a vassal state to Kedah under a governor, Syed Hussain Jamallullail. Later, the Siamese King Rama III awarded Syed Hussein the title of 'Raja' during an audience in Bangkok. In return, Perlis was obligated to send the triennial Bunga Mas to Bangkok as an acknowledgement of Siamese suzerainty over the state. The practice of sending the golden tribute ended when the British formally took over control of this northern most state of Peninsular Malaysia in 1909.