19/06/2026

FRIDAY | JUNE 19, 2026

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Joint effort to make 1,400 Bak Chang dumplings

Seamstress masters tailoring skills despite lack of fingers PASIR PUTEH: Being born without fingers on her left hand has not prevented a woman from Kampung Tasek in Bukit Jawa, who is a registered person with disability, from building an independent life through tailoring, a trade that has sustained her family for more than two decades. For 46-year-old Liza Mamat, her physical disability has never been a reason to depend on others. Instead, it became the motivation to master a skill that could secure her family’s future. The mother of four said her interest in sewing began as a teenager after watching her elder sister, Yati, 55, complete orders for women’s clothing, including the traditional baju kurung . Inspired, Liza enrolled in a tailoring course at the Industrial Training and Rehabilitation Centre in Bangi, Selangor, in 2003 to hone her skills. “Back then, I realised I needed a skill of my own to help earn a living despite not having a high level of education. So, I chose sewing and worked hard to master it,” she told Bernama recently. Liza said the biggest challenge in the early years was adapting to sewing machines and equipment designed for people with a perfect pair of hands. “One of the difficulties was using tools that required both hands, including handling sewing equipment and cutting fabric. But I never gave up. Through constant practice, I developed my own techniques and methods,” she said. After completing the nine-month course, she began taking small orders from neighbours and friends before steadily building a loyal customer base. Today, Liza produces a variety of garments, including baju kurung and baju Melayu , while also offering alteration and repair services. Each outfit takes about two hours to complete, with charges ranging from RM45 to RM100 depending on the design. She is capable of fulfilling up to 60 orders a month. Liza said she takes great care with every order, as customer satisfaction remains key to maintaining the trust she has built over the years. She said the support of her family, particularly her husband, Mohd Kufri Omar, 47, who is also physically disabled, has been a constant source of strength throughout her journey.

Festival, also known as the Dumpling Festival. The programme, organised by Village Community Management Council Taman Lucky with the support of Sungai Puyu state assemblyman Phee Syn Tze, brought together volunteers from the Lucky Park Tua Pek Kong Temple, council members and interested residents to learn the traditional craft of dumpling-making. Bak Chang , also known as rice dumplings or Zongzi , is a traditional Chinese festive food associated with the festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. This year, it is celebrated today. The festival commemorates Qu Yuan, a poet and minister of the ancient state of Chu who, according to legend, drowned himself in the Miluo River in protest against corruption and the fall of his state. The tradition of eating Bak Chang is said to have originated from

villagers who raced out on boats to search for Qu Yuan, throwing rice dumplings into the river to prevent fish from eating his body. “Traditionally, preparing Bak Chang is a time-consuming process that involves many steps, including preparing the ingredients, wrapping and cooking. Through this community activity, participants can work together, share responsibilities and complete the preparation more efficiently while enjoying social interaction and companionship,” she said. Phee added that the programme helped reduce the financial burden on families by pooling resources collectively. Sponsors contributed cooking gas, glutinous rice, pork and salted eggs, with total costs amounting to approximately RM4,000. Leading the dumpling-making effort was 67-year-old Ooi Chooi Chai, who has been making Bak Chang since she was 21 and has been involved in the community programme with Phee for the past three years. A veteran of a Nyonya chang competition she won about seven or eight years ago, her decades of experience proved invaluable throughout the process. Preparations began on Saturday, when volunteers spent half a day preparing ingredients. Activities resumed on Sunday at about 7.30am, with volunteers cooking rice, marinating pork filling and preparing chestnuts, mushrooms and salted duck egg yolks before wrapping the dumplings by hand. Male volunteers also contributed by carrying out physically demanding tasks such as frying the glutinous rice and assisting with heavy lifting and logistics. At the end of the programme, volunteers took home the dumplings to celebrate the festival with their families. Phee said such initiatives help ensure traditional customs remain relevant by encouraging active community participation rather than passive observation. “By bringing people together through traditional activities such as this, we can ensure these customs continue to be appreciated and passed on to future generations,” she added.

o Initiative aims to preserve art of preparing traditional delicacy while strengthening community ties ahead of Dragon Boat festival

Ű BY T.C. KHOR newsdesk@thesundaily.com

GEORGE TOWN: More than 25 volunteers came together last Sunday to prepare 1,400 Bak Chang in a community initiative aimed at preserving cultural heritage and strengthening ties among residents ahead of the Dragon Boat

Syn Tze and former Penang state executive councillor Datuk Seri Phee Boon Poh (4th and 5th from left) with volunteers during the event. – T.C. KHOR/THESUN