Time Travel in Kampung Baru

JACQUELINE PEREIRA | 19 May 2025

A WALK with Fuad Fahmy through Kampung Baru is a wondrous laidback stroll through time. Where greetings are heartfelt, where history is etched into the woodwork, and where a gentle community spirit wraps itself around you like a cool breeze on a blazing hot afternoon. Wedged between two worlds, Kampung Baru not only retains its traditions but continues to thrive at its own, unhurried pace.

As we begin our evening walk, we meet little boys earnestly attempting to fly their kites. We pass by a merry Hari Raya open house, with cheery guests in festive finery spilling out onto the main road. Turning a corner, we face two ladies who lament to Fuad the loss of a hostel to fire on that very morning.

Fuad Fahmy shares stories of old and new as he leads immersive walkabouts through Kampung Baru, revealing the beating heart of Kuala Lumpur's living heritage.

Fuad’s roots in Kampung Baru run deep. His great-grandfather, Haji Sulaiman Haji Shahbuddin from Rawa in Sumatra, became the first imam at Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru in 1907. Since then, although the mosque has been redeveloped several times, its original architectural elements with Mughal and Moorish influences have endured.

Though now living elsewhere, Fuad was born and raised here in a home that was first built almost a century ago. But he returns, all the time, for work and to stay close to the community and the stories that shaped him “My life revolves around here, although I do miss the spirit of my childhood,” he acknowledges.

Third-generation kuih maker Rosnah Abu Samah sells cookies and kerepek to a steady stream of loyal customers.

We pass a group of chatty makciks on a veranda, with one teasing Fuad about his Ramli Sarip hair. Moments later, we reach Makcik Ros’ corner stall. Rosnah Abu Samah, a third-generation kuih maker, opens daily by 8am, selling cookies and kerepek. Operating for more than a decade, her shop remains unnamed. Yet business is brisk.

As we amble along, Fuad points out remarkable kampung houses, like Rumah Limas, painted entirely black. “The third generation live here now, and it's still very sturdy,” he remarks, noting that not a single nail was used in its construction. Some owners, however, have abandoned their homes, now derelict due to unresolved land or inheritance disputes.

Admire the all-black Rumah Limas – crafted without a single nail; or strike up a conversation with long-time Kampung Baru residents like Encik Khairul for stories you won’t find in guidebooks.

We then bump into Encik Khairul, busy plucking white bunga turi, to boil (rebus), eat as kerabu (herb salad), or add to an omelette. He explains that, while the leaves are usually cooked in sayur lemak (a coconut-based vegetable curry), the flowers are equally edible and also valued for their medicinal properties.

We leave the quiet of Kampung Paya and head towards the six other villages that, together, form Kampung Baru – Kampung Periok, Kampung Masjid, Kampung Atas A and B, Kampung Hujung Pasir and Kampung Pindah. Established in 1899 and gazetted as a Malay Agricultural Settlement in 1900, Kampung Baru remains a rare enclave preserving the Malay communal way of life. Although, more than just a Malay stronghold, it’s a cultural cauldron, too, home to early settlers from Melaka and Klang, Javanese, Minangkabau, Mandailing and Rawa families. "And yet," Fuad notes, "125 years later, only 40% of residents are originally from here."

After a pit stop at Fuad’s father's home, for delicious kuih bingka ubi kayu (tapioca cakes) and curry puffs, we enter our walk’s final stretch. It’s now 6.30pm, and the neighbourhood is bustling, with restaurants, stalls and cafés filling up fast. Fuad points out White Butter (@whitebutter.kl), a viral late-night eatery next to his house, often packed at the weekend with phone-toting, pose-ready youngsters. The menu fuses Western and Malaysian favourites, simply served with a KLCC skyline view and an Instagram-worthy vibe.

Craving a trendy late-night bite? Head over to White Butter (@whitebutter.kl) – a viral hotspot where the weekend crowd gathers, phone in hand, ready to snap and snack!

Fuad has his favourite food spots that he often returns to. One is Warung Mak Nenek, open only for breakfast, serving classic kuih-muih, traditional nasi lemak, and nasi goreng the old-fashioned way. On Fridays, a special bubur (porridge) is on offer. Another of his faves is Restoran Rose (@restoranrose.kg.baru), an Indonesian eatery with up to 50 Padang and Minang dishes, with sambal hijau and dendeng daging as its headliners.

Fuad checks if his favourite nasi lemak spot, Nasi Lemak Kak Chuk (@nasilemakkakchuk), is still open. A queue has already formed, including a nasi lemak-hunting customer from Old Klang Road. The stall, run from the back of Kak Chuk’s home, exudes homestyle charm. She hands out local crisps to her customers. Without a doubt, their crunchy kangkung and spicy sambal are must-haves. The skewered, spiced, fried paru (beef lung), took my paru obsession to another level. I will have to return for the silky squid sambal, rich rendang and – the most popular – ayam goreng berempah, spiced and golden.

Tuck into local favourites in Kampung Baru, from Nasi Lemak Kak Chuk to Din’s juicy satay – flavours that keep people coming back.

Last stop: Din's Satay. After several skewers of supremely succulent satay – chicken and beef smokily grilled over open charcoal flames – no other satay will do. Perfectly marinated, caramelised at the edges, and tender inside, each bite paired beautifully with a velvety, nutty peanut sauce: rich, flawless, impossible to replicate.

For decades, Kampung Baru has resisted waves of redevelopment. Its residents resolutely protect more than land. They are committed to safeguarding their living heritage. And so, after nine years of walking tours, Fuad hopes to promote sustainable community tourism that supports local livelihoods without trading heritage for high-rises.

A cornerstone of Kampung Baru’s spiritual and cultural life since the late 1880s, Masjid Jamek stands as a symbol of the community’s enduring legacy – its expanded gateway now proudly framed by traditional Islamic tilework.

As the last light slips behind KL’s towers, and the evening call to prayer drifts across rooftops, Kampung Baru glows with gentle grace, holding on to a way of life that refuses to fade. In just a few hours, we had discovered Kuala Lumpur's soul, still beating softly in its oldest heart.

For walkabouts in Kampung Baru, get in touch with Fuad Fahmy (@magicalkampungbaru) at +60104262886. For more information, check out the Magical Kampung Baru website.

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