The Melaka River - a Nostalgia

How it has changed with the times! I was brought up half of my growing-up years in a shop right smack in the middle of the town. You notice the church building in the middle of the picture? That's the Church of St. Francis Xavier and exactly across the road to it was my Father's shop-cum-my home, right beside the Melaka River. The shop and a barter-trading warehouse next to it plus our neighbour, the Custom Quarters were all demolished in the mid 60's to make way for development.

The river used to be hustle-bustle with "tongkang"s (barges) laden with rice, spices, sugar, flour, rubber sheets, kayu bakau (wood for piling) being pushed manually using long poles up and down the river to the various store-houses along the river. There were colourful fishing boats too chug-chugging up river to the town's wet market at Kubu. Sometimes boats or barges would 'park' at the barter warehouse next door and we would watch the "orang seberang" (Indonesian workers who came with the boats) transferring the goods from their boats to the warehouse, balancing as they carried their loads on their shoulders, across a narrow plank. There was also a huge tree behind our shop (also our out-house there!) When the men were not doing anything, they would climb on the tree and jump into the river for a swim. Or they would sit in their boats and fish - getting mainly ikan belukang or ikan buntal. Urgh.. you can imagine the quality of the river then with so many rubbish thrown in and out-houses just by the river ... (very convenient for the night-soil man.)


The scene has changed now, all thanks to the Melaka River Rehabilitation Project. No more polluted river or out-houses dotting the edges. Now there are pedestrian walkways, beautiful gardens and quiant, little cafes. There are even boat rides along the river if you so desire.

Colourful boats waiting to take passengers for a cruise down and up river day and night.

Up river looking across Jalan Bunga Raya is the picturesque village of Kampong Morten a.k.a. Kampong Baru.

I don't mind the transformation of my little town esp. the look of the river now. But I do miss the tranquil and colourful happenings of Melaka River when I was young. Those were the days, my friend....