By Savithri Rodrigo
PENANG, Malaysia (Commonwealth Union)_ Trishaws are a common sight in most of South and South East Asia but when it comes to those highly decorative three-wheeled carriages that ply the streets of Penang, trishaws take on another dimension. It’s a ride that is truly fit for royalty given the trouble taken by the spruced up trishaw riders to keep their pride and joy attractive, artistic, decorated, polished and yes, fit for a king.
No trip to Penang is complete without a ride in this beautifully turned-out carriage – a tad bumpy maybe but it’s all in the ride and one generally takes it on the bump. However, times were tough during the pandemic with few tourists and even fewer rides. Income was scarce and feeding families became a challenge.
With the pandemic behind them and the tourists already arriving to experience Malaysia’s repository of amazing beauty, Penang’s trishaw riders are literally jumping for joy. Most of these riders have been working the streets for well over two decades and had never experienced a slump like they had during the pandemic.
Nevertheless, with the arrivals taking on new momentum, early mornings get busy on the streets of Penang. There’s much washing, polishing and decorating of the trishaws before these colourful carriages in all its glory are presented to tourists, who have a literal treasure trove of beautifully turned out trishaws to choose from.
Trishaws in Penang are cycle rickshaws which the local Hokkien Chinese call ‘Langchhia’ and the Malays call Beca, derived from the Hokkien dialect meaning be-chia or horsecart. The first trishaw appeared in Penang in 1936 resembling an old-fashioned buggy mounted on a tricycle. Before the war, these vehicles were a novelty but became a popular mode of transport during the Japanese occupation. Nothing much has changed in the design as of today however.
A trade that is sometimes passed down from father to son, there are approximately 200 trishaw riders in Penang, all chronicling a chapter or two in the city’s heritage and identity, preserving the quaint and picturesque history that forms the backbone of the look and feel for a traveler.
With times being hard in the last two years, corporate entities stepped in with an ‘Adopt a Trishaw’ Corporate Social Responsibility initiative to ensure this legacy so rooted in Penang will not disappear. Hotels in the city and its environs are rallying around the trishaw community, ensuring tourists gain a trishaw experience, while the state too is adding RM200 to help registered riders with refurbishment and repairs.
So hop on and let the rider ride on while regaling you with stories that will take you way beyond your imagination.
