At 80 years old, Madam Wong has stuck to a daily routine of waking up past midnight for the last 40 years, after which she gets straight to work to prepare her pastries.
The octogenarian sells freshly-made kaya goods out of a humble stall situated at the back of a narrow, hidden alley opposite the Maybank branch in Jalan Yap Ah Loy.
The entire process of gathering the ingredients, baking the sweet treats and eventually transporting them to her stall takes up to seven hours.
Her bestseller is her light, fluffy kaya swiss roll – wholeheartedly made based on a recipe concocted by her husband when they first started the family business in 1974.
“My husband was the one who wanted to start selling baked goods back then. We used to work at a kopitiam in Central Market, but it closed down in the ’80s,” Wong told FMT.
With their usual spot having drawn its shutters for good, the couple decided to sell their coconut jam treats just outside the iconic heritage site.
But in just a few years, they were forced to relocate once more when the authorities paid a visit, saying they weren’t allowed to set up shop in the area.
“I have a valid license,” said Wong, gesturing towards her laminated trader’s license lying in a tray just beside her stall.
“At the time, they (the authorities) said we weren’t allowed to sell there and we were asked to move. That’s how this small stall ended up in Jalan Yap Ah Loy.”
Thankfully, their son and daughter, both in their forties, are around to help out. Over the years, the preparation work has shifted from their home in Cheras to a baking facility in Jalan Loke Yew, which allows the family to churn out more goods for the day.
However, it is only Wong who stands behind the stall, under the heat, with the finished products. It has been a one-man show for the last 10 years after her beloved husband passed away in 2011.
Wong admits that her job has not been easy since then, noting that she was unable to make any money during the first three months of the Movement Control Order (MCO) last year.
“I may be old, but I still need to make a living for myself. If you want to make more baked goods, you need to wake up a little earlier. That’s why I’m up by 1am.
“It’s definitely hard… everything about it is hard. But I’m used to it,” she chuckled.
The stall’s location at the end of a narrow alleyway may seem inconvenient at first glance, but that doesn’t stop people from parking their cars at the edge of the lane, rolling down their windows and shouting out their orders to Wong.
The elderly citizen’s hands work fast, expertly wrapping up her swiss rolls (sold at RM1.60 per piece and RM18.5 per roll) and gently placing them into plastic bags, before scuttling down the alley towards her loyal customers’ vehicles.
Some are also willing to park their cars elsewhere and take a walk to the stall, all for a taste of the other items on the menu: generously-filled kaya puffs (RM1.80 per piece) and kaya jam (RM5 per tub), served straight out of the pot for every order.
For those who aren’t the biggest fans of coconut jam, there are also egg tarts with crispy, flaky crusts, sold at RM1.80 per piece and perfectly portioned for tea time or dessert.
Still, there are some days where the desserts aren’t able to sell out. According to Wong, business is irregular and unpredictable.
“I’m thankful for my regular customers, but of course they don’t come every day since the stuff I sell is sweet. It’s hard to tell.”
But she has no plans to retire anytime soon. In fact, she plans to keep going as long as she can.
“There is no secret to living longer and staying healthy. You just eat your food and do your job. It’s important to find things to keep yourself busy,” says Wong, flashing a smile as sweet as her treats.
Madam Wong’s stall
Jalan Yap Ah Loy (opposite Maybank)
50050, Kuala Lumpur
Operation hours: 7am/8am to 2pm/3pm (closed on Sundays)