Make up for self-expression

THE new buzz word coming from the French cosmetics house Make Up For Ever is “beautinista”! The term descibes women who view make-up as a means of self expression. Thanks to its impressive range, the French maquillage house is a veritable playhouse for the drama queen.

The first Make Up For Ever boutique opened on rue la Boetie in Paris in 1984. But its real genesis can be traced back to the early 1960s when Danny Sanz, a Parisian painter, sculptor and artist decided to dabble in the chemistry of maquillage in her own kitchen. Her aim was to create a budge-proof make-up that could withstand the onslaught of perspiration.

In retelling the story of Make Up For Ever, Jennifer Nelson, the brand’s PR, reveals that Sanz, who is now in her 70s, started out as an artist in a French theatre. One day, a director had approached her to paint the actors’ bodies in a play to add a touch of surrealism. The ensuing result of seeing her work “come alive” inspired her to embark on a career as a make-up artist. While it was not immediately realised then, the concept probably made Sanz one of the world’s very first practitioners of body art.

A wonderful partnership: Alicia Chong and Theresa Ong both share the same passion for Make Up For Ever.

She strived to achieve a formulation that was not only waterproof but colours that would come true on the very first application. It makes perfect sense why the brand started out as the preferred choice of international make-up artists and performers before popping its head in the retail sector.

The secret of Make Up For Ever’s success stems from Sanz’s deep understanding of the use of cosmetics in the showbiz industry. Its academy started in 2002 in Paris, and to date, there are 10 Make Up For Ever Academies worldwide. Today, Sanz still remains the brand’s artistic director.

In its academy in Paris, make-up courses are given in French, Italian, Portugese, Spanish and English, and students are sent for internships to work on movie sets and fashion shows. For a realistic professional experience, photographers and established make-up artists fill the guest speaker lists during conferences.

“I was told that students would enquire if the academy that they were signing up with was using Make Up For Ever. If the answer was ‘no’, they’d go somewhere else,” says Theresa Ong of Hue Haven, the brand’s Malaysian principal company.

For the showgirl in you: Diamond dust and shimmery red striped faux eyelashes.

Having achieved its original intention of steadfastness and colour honesty, the progression from the pro circle to the ordinary but discerning woman came naturally.

“When you look at what it was originally intended for, there are numerous possibilities for ordinary women who want to look good in our humid weather be it at the gym or while taking a dip in the pool,” adds Ong, who teamed up with Singapore principal Alicia Chong in 2008 to establish the Malaysian office.

But, you wonder who would use the matte black shade or the ultra transparent iridescent ocean blue gloss in the lip colour range.

“The thing about make-up is, you never know what goes on in a ‘beautinista’s’ mind,” she explains.

Make Up For Ever offers close to 1,400 products in its catalogue, including 125 shades of eyeshadow and 95 lip shades.

Lip glosses come in pearl, chrome and shimmer form, not to mention the super and extreme shines. There is also a “magical” formula in this category which allows matte lipsticks to have a vinyl effect, living up to its “glossy full” promise. If matte is the texture of the day, there is a lip matifying cream for the lips.

The most dramatic elements lie with the eye and artistic range.

From ultra shimmery eye shadows to the metal and diamond powders, the brand has a brilliant collection of mattes, satins and iridescents. For falsies alone, there are 60 different patterns for lashes ranging from single implants to nudes, for every day use to dramatic appearances.

Aqua-Water proof cream eye colours to withstand the onslaught of sweat and water.

“The professional artist will find things like volume and length primers, and waterproof eyebrow kits in our catalogue. These are exactly the type of things you need in a make-up range,” says Chong.

Of note are the waterproof cream eye shadows from the Aqua range, specifically designed to withstand water submersions. The Aqua range, used by water ballerinas, has a sizeable range that encompasses waterproof eye shadows and eyeliner pencils. To safeguard the finished result, there’s a liquid waterproof eye seal.

The artistic and special effects range also carries accessories like cotton string underwear for body painting, glitter and strass-little bling bling to be placed on the face. In addition to the colour creams and powders for clown make-up and body art, Make Up For Ever also has special effects items like artificial blood and liquid latex for extreme theatrical makeovers.

In 1999, LVMH, the luxury brand leader which also handling other make-up brands like Dior, Kenzo, Guerlain and Givenchy, took Make Up For Ever under its wings. In the subsequent years however, there was a decision to drop Make Up For Ever from its line up as it was not such a well known name then and hard to market.

Enter Chong, then, a new mother battling the throes of post-natal depression who decided to turn to Robinsons (department store) in Singapore for a little retail therapy. The counter staff of Make Up Forever offered her the hand of friendship.

“One day, they told me that they were being retrenched. I felt I needed to do something to help them,” recalls Chong.

Her past experience as the division manager of Luxasia, which handled international prestige brands like Ferragamo, Bvlgari and Jean Paul Gaultier, came in handy. She approached LVMH and offered her business plan. Since the company was about to relinquish Make Up For Ever, there was no harm in giving Chong’s idea a go.

She was given the task to rebuild the brand in Singapore and Malaysia. Since 2002, the brand has gained a firm foothold in the island republic. Its headquarters is currently housed in Stamford House, a beautiful colonial building on Bras Basah Road in Singapore and it also has a make-up academy.

High definition make up

THE latest from Make Up For Ever is its HD line, launched in 2008 with foundation, powder and primer. A concealer, blush and a radiance-cum-hydration elixir joined this line-up two years later. Described as an extensive range, the foundation alone for the HD line sports 25 shades to suit the skin tones of Caucasians, Asians, Blacks and mixed races.

HD (which stands for high definition) is designed for the cinema industry and promises a faultless complexion under the lenses of HD cameras which optimises images up to six times of the standard camera. It is a formula which promises a natural look even under very close scrutiny, thanks to the advent of micro-sized ingredients.

The Moulin Rouge range for Fall 2010.

The formula is a combination of three powders, namely sericite, which reflects light and produces a satin finish; lauroyl lysine, a lamellar structured powder for a comfortable glide and blend; and microcrystalline cellulose, a matifying powder for a smooth touch.

For the fall trend of 2010, Make Up For Ever forms a union with Moulin Rouge, the famous French cabaret on Boulevard de Clichy. In mirroring the seductive can can dancers, it hails the coming of scarlet lips, faux eyelashes bordered with a glittery line of red and strass of Swarovski crystal in white, red and black for the flirty sideways look.

The Rouge easy-to-wear collection is reminiscent of the glamorous show girl who is not afraid to show her sexy, feminine self. The collection was unveiled recently at the Singapore Turf Club with live performances by can can dancers and free make overs for guests.

Make Up For Ever has a presence in 50 countries. It is available at Suria KLCC and Parkson at 1-Utama, Petaling Jaya. For details, log on to makeupforever.com.

Published in The Star, Star Two, Thursday August 5 2010

It's Tea Time

The traditional tea time treats that used to be available mainly at market and roadside stalls and pasar malam are now going big time commercially.

THINK crisp hot fried bananas, savoury yam cakes, apom swimming in coconut milk, melt-in-your-mouth kuih and you can understand why Malaysians look forward to tea time.

Never mind if you don’t have time to make them yourself. There’s plenty of these yummy treats to tempt your palate (and ruin your diet) on sale in every nook and corner. The question of where to go really depends on whether you are looking for a relaxed sitdown with a teh tarik or a quick takeaway.

Thanks to commercialism, there is never a problem with choice. However, authenticity is a real bone of contention and nothing can be more irksome than a ketayap with a meagre coconut filling or a kuih talam that has been artificially flavoured.

Mum’s the expert: Wan (left) learnt to make melt-in-the-mouth kuih from his mother Mak Jah

So how are the best kuih supposed to taste? If you have sampled the kuih talam at the Mak Jah Café at Jalan Kolam Air, Ampang, you will want no other after that – the white tops of the kuih here are practically sagging from the weight of rich coconut cream.

Better known as Mak Jah, Halijah Karim, now 65, started the business at the end of a row of MPAJ stalls opposite an animal shelter some 20 years ago.

On closer inspection of her seri muka, you will also see a translucent layer between the glutinous rice and the green top. This, explains Wan Mahalel Wan Daud, 38, Mak Jah’s son, is due to the caramelising effect, a testament to the fact that they have not stinged on the amount of eggs and sugar. As a result, the kuih all have a luxurious melt-in-your-mouth feel.

“What I have learned from my mother is that you have to be a perfectionist when it comes to making kuih. My mother believes that a kuih should be rich in coconut milk and eggs. As it is, she uses no less than eight eggs for every tray of kuih,” says Wan.

Though Mak Jah is retired now, this grand dame is still head of quality control and is known to test every tray to make sure that all are in accordance with her stipulations. Those that don’t meet her QC standards will not be seen at her stall.

The issue of being “generous” is a sensitive one. The ones who are guilty of meagre ketayap fillings and airy curry puffs will give the standard excuse of inflation and compromises in profit. But old-timers like Sun Yoke Lan, 55, have different answers.

Going places: Malaysian kuih have the potential to be exported.

“One way to ensure return customers is to make their stomachs remember you,” says Sun who has been running her nyonya kuih stall in front of the Yit Seang coffee shop at Jalan Thambypillai in Brickfields for the past 30 years.

Sun’s strategy is simple. She gives away big portions, be it her trademark steamed pumpkin rice cake or her large deep fried prawn cucur.

Both Halijah and Sun will attest that their kuih business strategy has been tested and tried by time. As it is, Halijah’s kuih is also sold at the Daily Express in KLCC and the Warung in Mid Valley Megamall.

After having kept a roadside enterprise alive for three decades, the question of expansion is bound to pop up for these traditional tea time vendors. In most cases, it will involve relocation, which many believe will sound the death knell for their livelihoods instead.

Thus, most are staying faithful to their original spot, one case being the Mr Chiam Pisang Goreng stall at Jalan Tun Sambanthan 4, Brickfields.

Another is the vadai and curry puff mobile van situated between Jalan Telawi 6 and 7 in Bangsar, which is operated by Kanagaratnam Vengadasamy, who is in his 70s, and his wife Visalatchi Thanugodi, who is in her 60s. They have been there for the last 15 years and the simple reason for their decision to stay put is that everyone knows them.

It is a similar story with the Chiams. After 27 years, numerous mentions in foodie blogs and appearances in food programmes on TV, the most recent one being 1 Day Five Meals which airs over Astro Wah Lai Toi and is hosted by Angel Wong Chui Ling; the father and son team are content with their roadside spot. Never mind that there is no space for the duo to prepare their bananas and sesame balls for frying. The Chiams have opened a preparation room above the shophouse. A buzz from an intercom at the stall will see a basket of nien kao sandwiched between slices of tapioca or freshly rolled sesame balls being lowered in a plastic basket to an eager recipient below.

But modernisation has a way of changing mindsets and now that the current generation prefers the air-conditioned comforts of the supermarkets, it may be time to rethink the issue of location.

The Lim brothers of Homi Chicken Curry Puffs are an example. Having established a name for themselves at the Hock Seng Two coffee shop for almost 20 years in SS2/66, Petaling Jaya, they made a move to apply for a spot at The Gardens Mid Valley four years ago.

With a monthly rental rate of RM8,000, one wonders what gave the Lim brothers the courage to make the jump with nothing but curry puffs as their star product.

Lim Meng Kong, 54, the eldest of the three Lim brothers, reveals that they have had to set up a shop lot factory in Jalan Kuchai Lama, which now produces about 3,000 raw curry puffs daily.

“The decision to expand was like taking the big plunge. There was no business strategy. What we did instead was to take the opportunity as the situation presented itself. It began when my brother, Meng Lee, saw an existing curry puff chain prosper. He thought he could do something better and that was how we came to be here.”

Like the Lim brothers, Lady Luck also had a role to play with Wong How Yong, 54, a kuih supplier who started from a roadside stall at the PJ Old Town market 20 years ago. Eventually, she moved to a stall inside and one day, eight years ago, a Caucasian approached her and asked if she would like to supply Giant, the hypermarket. That opportunity gave her the courage to venture into the catering scene in addition to supplying local kuih to the hotels’ buffet lines.

“It just happened out of the blue and at that time I was still making kuih from my home kitchen,” recalls this former housewife.

Her chief worry then was how she would be able to supply the volume required, but she soon found the solution.

Of course, comfort, convenience and hygiene will come with a price and as Homi reveals, a slight change in pricing was necessary to cover costs. Puffs sold in The Gardens are between RM2.00 and RM2.50 each compared to the ones in their SS2 HQ, which are only RM1.40 each. Still, when one compares the posh contemporary settings of The Gardens to the hot stuffy surroundings of a roadside operation, what is an extra 60 sen?

And thanks to the constant demand for the different varieties of kuih, the makers have had to lean on each other. “It has become very normal for them to sell each other’s products because one factory just cannot handle the making of so many varieties,” says Wong.

This has led to another emerging trend such as that of Deli Delight. A nyonya kuih kiosk in Mid Valley’s basement right in front of Eu Yan Sang, it is run by Theresa Yoong, 60, who has been a familiar face here for the past eight years. Yoong runs a consignment style operation with other kuih and biscuit suppliers.

How far can one go in the kuih business? Nancy Lu, 52, of Lulu Nyonya Kueh believes it can even be exported. She is already looking into this aspect, with help from her brother Tony Lu, 48, whom she describes as “the one with the ideas”.

Since the business started in 2000, Lulu Nyonya Cakes has opened five outlets all running on the kiosk format in Sungai Wang Plaza, Mid Valley, Amcorp Mall, Great Eastern Mall and Jaya Jusco Taman Maluri. And they are also supplying kuih to hotels for the buffet lines.

In the future, says Lu, there are plans to take the kuih business into the gift market, which requires compact and attractive packaging for travellers to take home as presents for friends and family. In line with this, there are plans to work on freezing the kuih, Sara Lee-style, for export. The R&D remains to be done, however.

At such a rate, it will not be long before the kuih lapis becomes as international as the cheesecake. Already, as Lu reveals, there have been enquiries from as far away as Abu Dhabi.

A new touch to the traditional

IT is hard to imagine the popular ketayap as anything else but green in colour, flavoured with pandan and stuffed with a sweet filling of grated coconut and gula melaka. At Ibunda, a Malay fine diner on Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, patrons may well see some surprising changes, however.

Here is where you’ll find ketayap with Philadelphia cheese fillings or love letters dipped with roselle salsa all served in dainty portions.

“Malay desserts are traditionally very heavy and with the addition of coconut milk and glutinous rice, it can be very overwhelming after a starter and a main course. So, we decided on a serving that would not exceed 600g,” says Mohd Sofi, 35, the sous chef and spokesperson of Ibunda.

Glamorous twist: The banana pengat coated in sugar

The inspiration is still Malay in origin, he insists, taking Ibunda’s signature dessert, the Nangka Gulung, as a case in point. It was created after the chef and restaurant owner, Zabidi Ibrahim, saw a cempedak fritters stall.

“The whole idea is to be different, to push the boundaries on what is considered the norm in Malay tea time treats. In the end, it is all about culinary creativity,” says Sofi.

Dishing it out with a smile

Nothing makes a dining experience more memorable than great service with a smile. Beauty queen Debbie Goh has it down pat at her new Indonesian restaurant.

SERVICE with a smile, no matter how irate the customer. With this motto in mind, beauty queen and restaurateur Debbie Goh has maintained the reputation of providing good service at her Indonesian food outlet.

The star of Age of Glory, which became the highest rated Chinese drama in 2008, is the new lady boss of a three-month-old Indonesian franchise. Sharing a recent encounter with a customer that had her on her toes all night, she says: “A distinguished-looking gentleman came in with a party of friends. From his manner, I could tell that he was a seasoned diner so I quickly signalled to the staff to be extra vigilant.

Debbie Goh offering her favourite dish, the Yellow Rice Combo, which comes with a mild beef rendang and crispy fried chicken.

“When the food arrived, he found fault with every single dish ordered and even after we replaced it with something else, he was still not satisfied.”

The former Miss Malaysia Chinese International 1998 and a Hong Kong TVB artiste was at her wits’ end and decided that dessert would be on the house.

When it was time for the diner to leave, Goh personally saw him to the door and apologised profusely, certain that she would never see him again.

“Boy, was I surprised to see him again! Later, I found out that he had been impressed by the service and that was when I patted myself at the back for having exercised patience,” says Goh.

As the owner of IR1968, she says that her patience is stretched every day but maturity has helped her keep a tight reign on her temper.

“The onus is on the restaurateur to be tactful and diplomatic. It is your job to find out your diners’ likes and dislikes and then use the knowledge to make sure they have a pleasant dining experience so that they will be back,” says Goh.

In deciding to embark on a career in food and beverage with IR1968, which stands for Indonesian Restaurant 1968, Goh (pic right) reveals that it was her business partner Hudson Chang, a 37-year-old Hong Kong native whom she had met while hosting a culinary programme with TVB, who convinced her to become a restaurateur.

Cosy: Soft red lights and blue porcelain for the table setting mirror Debbie’s artistic touches.

“IR1968 is a franchise and they were the first to offer Indonesian cuisine in Hong Kong in 1968. I was very taken by the concept and thought that it would be a good idea to bring it to Malaysia.

‘Coincidentally, I was also looking into other business opportunities apart from acting, so everything fell into place,” says the Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduate who believes in being hands on in her restaurant.

“One sure-fire way to lose money in business is to be constantly absent,” says Goh who has appointed her 21-year-old niece, Yvonne Chiew, to man the cash register because she is the only person Goh trusts.

She also sees the restaurant as a place to entertain and network, and as such, has taken great pains to make the 120-seater outlet into a cosy enclave with red Chinese lamps, multi-coloured cushions, authentic whitewashed wooden tables and blue porcelain.

Among the restaurant’s signature dishes is the Yellow Rice Combo (RM25), which comes with a very mild version of beef rendang and a piece of crisp fried chicken drummet. This hearty dish is best paired with the Assam Fish (RM38), a spicy and sour concoction laden with brinjal and capsicum.

The specialty of the house is none other than the tender and aromatic Braised Ox Tongue (RM32), which takes five hours to prepare. For those who fancy something light, there are the Shrimp and Corn Patties (RM15) and the Gado Gado, an Indonesian salad made up of bean curd, bean sprouts, cabbage, cucumber, lettuce, potatoes, boiled eggs, prawn crackers and thick peanut sauce.

The restaurant, which is just behind Hock Choon supermarket in Jalan Ampang, also does private catering for a minimum of 10 pax and home deliveries around the Ampang area. IR1968 is located at 241-B, Lorong Nibong, Off Jalan Ampang, 50450, Kuala Lumpur. For reservations, call 017-7883 2160.

Semur Lidah

1 whole ox tongue

For the sauce

3 large tomatoes

3 big onions

3 whole garlic bulbs, peeled and separated into cloves

400g aniseed

4 nutmegs

100ml of kicap manis

Boil ox tongue for five hours. Meanwhile, blend all the ingredients for the sauce with a little water. Heat the mixture in a pan and let it simmer until it thickens. Do not add water. Once ox tongue is ready, slice and sauté in butter. To serve, pour sauce over the tongue.

Let’s go to market

The farmer’s market is a lively place full of colourful characters selling fresh produce and a whole lot of other things besides.

WHY make a beeline for a farmers’ market with their nose-wrinkling odours, humid conditions and noisy surroundings when you can shop in the air-conditioned comfort of a supermarket?

The answer, my friend, definitely blows in the wind. Unlike the sterile atmosphere of a hypermarket, the pasar tani gives one a sense of freedom with its open-air concept. Another magnetic attraction is that it throbs with life, thanks to the colourful personalities of the vendors and their wide choice of fresh produce, including petai just plucked from the tree and exotic jungle vegetables.

Going bananas: Bananas in the hundreds of bunches are found in abundance at Selayang.

Shopping aside, this is where you’d find hefty fishmongers and Wellington-booted greengrocers with superstar smiles – the types who will not hesitate to claim every passer-by, old or young, to be their “sweetheart” or “darling”.

It is very hard not to fall in love with this noisy, gregarious lot! You know, those easy-going types who will not think twice about hollering to another trader who is six stalls away if he’s got any lemongrass to spare for a “pretty auntie” who just must have some for her nasi ulam?

Not one to practise favouritism, everyone is either a liang lui or a leng chai. The surroundings may not be posh but it is easy to see why the pasar tani has become so popular in our culture.

Engaging smile: Jamaludin Ismail started selling keropok lekor under a tree. Today, he has two shops in the Selayang wholesale farmers’ market

The Malaysian pasar tani probably made its way into the local scene sometime in the early 70s. The whole idea of creating a temporary spot for the farmer to trade was to address the issue of the middleman. Back then, it was not uncommon to hear stories of some unscrupulous middlemen who would pay the poor village farmer a mere RM10 for a basket of durians, which were later sold in the city for RM10 per kg.

This effort to bring the farmers in direct contact with the consumer was initiated by Fama (Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority) which was formed in 1965. The main objective was to help the farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders eliminate the problem of the middleman.

Locations were selected based on market research carried out by Fama and consumer traffic; and the willingness of the district authorities to cooperate and the number of entrepreneurs who would find the area viable for trade were some of the prerequisites taken into consideration.

Training ground: The best salesmen can be found in a pasar tani, says Azizi, who is roasting chestnuts with his boss, Rezuan Baba.

In terms of commerce, the pasar tani would be a separate market from the wet, morning and night markets and were under the jurisdiction of Fama who would arrange for the basic facilities such as umbrellas and stall space for rent in each of these designated areas. Close to half a decade later, the humble pasar tani took off, and the wholesale farmers’ market in Selayang was one of the first to start.

Located by the side of the old wing of the Selayang wholesale market, with its existence traced back to 1987, it is perhaps the oldest pasar tani in Selangor, according to Kamar Kilau, 60, who is a regular shopper here.

“In those days there were only 34 lots and rent was only RM13 per lot,” reveals Kamar.

Fama support: Razlan Ismail, a keropok lekor vendor, standing in front of his colourful lorry. Painting of the vehicle was sponsored by Fama.

Today, the number of lots has doubled and, according to Shamsuddin Zainal, 30, who helps run the Fama produce stall here, rental rates have gone up to RM500 per unit.

While the business hours of the pasar tani were originally confined to the morning, the one in Selayang has extended operation hours to seven days from 7am to 6pm. Some stalls like Jamilah Hashim’s coconut stall, which sells fresh santan and kerisek, runs on a 24-hour basis.

Jamilah, 31, a mother of four, reveals that she had started in Selayang with a small stall under a tree selling cakes, crackers, pickles and steamed peanuts in 1999. She changed to selling coconut milk in 2000 when Fama offered her a stall after a former tenant lapsed in rental payments.

Enterprising: Jamilah with her sisters, Rahimah (in red) and Rohizan (in black), who are showing off the cendol and bakso noodles that are a hit with Selayang folk.

On estimate, no less than 1,000 coconuts go under the grating machine at Jamilah’s santan shop in one day.

In Jamilah’s case, the spirit of entrepreneurship runs in the family as her husband, Saiful Azam, 37, also has a poultry stall in the area.

Her elder sisters, Rahimah, who runs a nasi campur and roti canai concern, and Rohizan, who, in addition to a watermelon stall, also sells bakso and lontong, also have shops in the Selayang wholesale farmers’ market area.

Bite me: Sup gearbox, one of the many hundred types of food available at the Shah Alam Pasar Tani.

It is not unusual to find one boss managing a few stalls and keropok seller, Jamaludin Ismail, 48, is one of them. A keen biker who also has a health spa in Rawang, Jamaludin now has two shops to distribute his keropok lekor which comes from a factory in Rusila, Terengganu. Jamaludin, who started selling his keropok lekor from under a tree in 1996, says that he sells between 20 and 30 big bags a day.

The most popular pasar tani is none other than the one at the Shah Alam Stadium on Sundays from 7am to noon. What makes this market such a draw is that it is just next to the Bazaar Arena which operates in conjunction with the farmers’ market.

Catergorised as a pasar tani mega (mega farmers’ market) by Fama, this is a shopper’s heaven with over 800 stalls selling everything from fresh produce, meat and fish to bundle clothing, facial products and handicraft.

Showtime: Razali Jaafar got his 15 minutes of fame when he was featured in TV shows like Jalan Jalan Cari Makan.

One bargain hunter, Norashikin Sidek, 37, who is a regular, says that one of her favourite draws is the beef bone soup (sup gearbox) from Wak Jas and the array of fashion clothing from the bundle stalls. Where prices are concerned, hypermarkets can be cheaper, she admits, but the advantage of being able to bargain here is an added plus.

Competition is certainly keen and Azizi Alif Khalid, 26, a business management diploma student from UiTM who sells roasted chestnuts, says that working in a pasar tani is a test in PR, work discipline and marketing skills.

“The best salesmen are found in a pasar tani. You learn very quickly that charm and the ability to say the right things will win you customers,” say Azizi, who sells about 80kg of chestnuts every Sunday in Shah Alam.

Without the advantage of window dressing, one also learns to rely on creativity, and for salon owner Norhasni Muhammad, 42, that involves providing on-the-spot facials at her stall where she sells her beauty soap bars.

This is not to mean that Fama has taken a back seat with the promotional efforts. The agency will sponsor the painting of a vendor’s lorry, as in the case of Razlan Ismail, who had his done recently.

The 25-year-old keropok lekor seller who hails from Klang, Selangor, has been in the pasar tani circuit for 10 years.

Facial on the go: A marketing tactic used by Nor Hasni to promote her beauty soap bars

Ingenuity also helps to sell a product, as Jeffri Mohd, 26, found out when he changed the original cylindrical shape of the ice cream potong he sells to square shapes. This Kelantanese who has only been in the pasar tani circuit for a year is under the employ of Zaman Ice Cream which has two sales outlets at the Shah Alam market.

Incidentally, the pasar tani has also turned out to be a place where one can find fame. Razali Jaafar, 39, a former broadcasting man who gave up his job to open up his own enterprise called Uncle Jilli’s Jacket Potatoes two years ago, has attracted media interest. So far, he has appeared in Jalan Jalan Cari Makan, in a slot hosted by Maria Tunku Sabri, and in Sheila Rusly’s Ketuk Ketuk Ramadan, which were both aired over TV3.

Laden with petai and other jungle vegetables, Abdul Rahim Muhammad’s stall in Shah Alam is what the pasar tani business is all about – selling the freshest produce, whether they are harvested straight from nature or from the farmers’ plot, directly to the customer.

Rahim, who has been in the pasar tani trade for the past 25 years, says he is chairman-cum-treasurer of the Persatuan Peniaga Penjaja Negeri Selangor (Selangor Petty Traders Association), which aims to help the small entrepreneur. The motto of the PPNS is “Dari Gerai Ke Global (from stall to the world)”, he says. But it looks like their fight is still on the local ground for now.

One of the things that PPNS continuously strives for is the protection of the pasar tani traders from unscrupulous individuals who, after obtaining licences from the council, will try to sell the lots at a high price to newcomers, Rahim says, adding that at one point, PPNS even went as far as reporting the culprits to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. Thanks to their efforts, such incidents are becoming rarer but the underhanded practices still exist, he says.

> For more information on a pasar tani nearest to you, log on to www.famaxchange.org

Published in The Star, Sunday, 25th April, 2010