10 Things That Represents "Tell Me You're Malaysian Without Telling Me You're Malaysian"

Last year we reached out to Malaysians near and far to find out their thoughts about Merdeka and their hopes for the country. This year, we're celebrating something else.

Our country is a huge melting pot of cultures besides having influences from different Asian countries and colonial rulers, so diversity is definitely a huge part of our lifestyles. From our unique cuisine that is a huge part of our local DNA to nostalgic games like Batu Seremban, we’ve put together a list of ten things that tell us you're Malaysian without telling us that you're Malaysian.

Ikat Tepi Drinks

Plastic bags filled with beverages, tied on the side with a raffia string and a straw in it may be a common item to us but it strangely amuses many foreigners who come across it. What better way to enjoy our teh ais? It’s part of our ‘tapao’ culture and can be easily toted around and hung anywhere compared to reusable cups. Boss, milo ais ikat tepi, satu!

Nasi Lemak

This dish’s ubiquity in our nation is such that it has been made into ice cream flavours, sold at Mekdi in the form of a burger, and even baked up into a wacky cheesecake.

PJ’s highly sought after Nasi Lemak at Village Park Restaurant was even featured on an international digital food map. But the real O.G. Nasi Lemak as we know it is wrapped in banana leaves and newspaper to form a tiny pyramid made of coconut-flavoured fragrant rice, sambal, half a boiled egg, cucumbers, nuts, and anchovies. No omelettes for us in the morning please, we want a true Malaysian breakfast!

Trishaws

Mainly found in the tourist areas in Malacca and Penang, these three-wheeled vehicles run not on petrol but are powered by strong (mostly old) men who cycle to push them by pedalling. Also known as rickshaws or ‘beca’, they seat two adults and are available as public transport to get to attractions through the narrow and busy streets in town.

Many of these trishaws are decorated elaborately with LED lights, plush toys, flowers, and portable fans to beat the heat. Although various versions of these are available all over Asia including the motorised Tuk Tuk in Thailand, they were apparently first popularised in Japan the 19th century, although sources vary.

Attap houses

While most cities in Malaysia have become somewhat of a concrete jungle — despite some foreigners assuming we live on trees *rolls eyes* — these attap houses were designed with our sweltering tropical climate in mind.

Now we can just crank up the A/C, but prior to the advent of this modern invention, folks could keep cool in these houses which roofs are traditionally made using attap leaves and overlapping hardwood planks for its walls.

These traditional Malay houses are an important reflection of our Malaysian identity in architecture. Featured in many Hari Raya ads when the festive season rolls around, they seem to be synonymous with the word ‘kampung’ and can still be found in across the country.

Roti Man Bikes

You’d hear them before you saw them with their bells and honks ringing throughout the neighbourhood. These roti men would hawk their goods stacked in humongous bunches on top of their motorcycles including items like Benggali bread, snacks, and even ‘pop pop’ fireworks!

My own father would tell me to watch out for the ‘uncle’ and as a child I’d race eagerly to be able to catch him in time to buy some bread. Sadly however, although there are a few of them that are still around, they are becoming a pretty rare sight as most people seem to have stopped purchasing bread from these men and opted for other commercial and artisan products.

Wau

Unless you’ve adopted the habit of only using eWallets, you probably carry around an image of the wau everywhere you go as the iconic ‘Wau Bulan’ are depicted on the RM1 notes as well as the old 50 cent coins.

In our country, kite-flying is a popular traditional sport especially in the states of Kelantan and Terengganu where it is also a celebration of good harvest. Handcrafted from bamboo and paper, these are also considered to be an artform.

Murukku

As early as the 1300s, Indian traders came into Malaysia and as such, their influence can be seen in Malaysian cuisine through banana leaf dishes and snacks such as murukku which are savoury fried snacks.

Although these are available in different shapes and sizes, the most common type is round and spiral shaped. Come Deepavali season, Hindus and Non-Hindus are excited to come together to celebrate the festival of lights and let’s be honest: eating murukku is one of its highlights although this snack can be easily purchased all year long. Did you know that Fish Muruku actually originated from Malaysia?

Heritage Shophouses

Our landscape is now dominated by skyscrapers and high-rise apartment buildings but prior to that many quaint shophouses could be seen. These buildings can be seen mostly in the cities of Melaka and George Town, which were chosen UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2008.

In Malaysia, especially during a formative point of the country’s development, the Chinese Malay Shophouse became a cultural symbol and a way of life. A mix of local culture, European colonial influences, and a building style brought in by Chinese Immigrants, the building morphed into a vernacular architecture.

Bak Kut Teh

While one would assume that this herbal concoction originated from China, it was actually apparently invented right here in our homeland. In 2009, then Tourism Minister Tan Sri Dato' Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen laid claim to the dish, saying that it originated here in Klang.

While its actual origins are up for contention, it is our national obligation to agree with her as Malaysians. ‘Bak Kut Teh’ or as our annoying autocorrect function calls it ‘Bak Kut The’, literally translates to ‘Meat Bone Tea’ in hokkien and is made up of pork ribs and traditional herbs.

It’s typically served with a bowl of white rice, ‘youtiao’ or fried fritters, beancurd skin, and vegetables. You can head to this restaurant Klang for a bowl if you’re having cravings.

Batu Seremban

Who else remembers keeping an eye out for little pebbles to use for this traditional game? The smoother and rounder they were the better. Friends who were more fortunate had their mothers sew up small bags of cloth filled up with beans or sand instead.

Played using either five or seven pieces, it was oddly satisfying to hear the sound ‘craccckkkkk’ as the stones clashed with each other. The goal of this game is to catch as many pieces as possible after throwing them in the air with a special piece in hand known as the ‘mother’ piece. It is known as Selambut in the North and the East Coast while in the West Coast, it is named Seremban.