Whether or not the textile industry faces a sunset, Salih Ahmad remains standing to this day. In part two, Dr Shajahan talks about the challenges and the “bright side” of being one of the long-standing textile shops in India Street.
The enduring spirit of Salih Ahmad
This is the final of a two-part series on the rich history of Salih Ahmad, a resilient textile store in Kuching that has withstood the test of time.
Written in The Sarawak Gazette, a writer by the name of Lo Suan Hian described the hustle and bustle of India Street in 1926: “India Street was a beehive of activities in the retail trade with the five-footways all cluttered up with trays and merchandise, and the street was lined with food stalls at night, interspersed with gambling stalls — under license, of course.”
With a vast history behind it, India Street used to be called Kling Street, which roughly translates from the Hokkien language as “Indian” due to the Indian traders who migrated there. However, from 1928 onwards, the second Rajah, Charles Brooke, encouraged the locals to acknowledge the street as India Street to refrain from using derogatory remarks.
Known as the place for spices and textiles, the street has seen its heyday as folks flocked to the area. Having established Salih Ahmad, Sayed Ahmad and his friend Salih opened their textile-spice business after World War II. The business stood the test of time, and today, its second generation — Dr Shajahan Sayed Ahmad — manages the shop in hopes of carrying the name Salih Ahmad into the future.
Born in 1960 in India, Dr Shajahan came here during his childhood years. Recalling India Street during his younger days, he said that back then, shops selling a variety of items were plentiful.
“It wasn’t just textiles, but also clothes, kitchenware, and other items. Back then, you couldn’t get those things elsewhere. You had to come to town to buy necessities. There weren’t shops or malls that existed beyond here.”
What made India Street more popular in those days was the nearby wet market. Regulated by female communities who were mostly housewives then, Dr Shajahan remembered that after doing their groceries at the market, they would visit India Street for leisure shopping.
“Since they didn’t need to go back to work, they would come to India Street for a shop before they returned home. Even if they didn’t buy anything, you could still see them walking around.”
But it’s different now, he said. India Street on weekdays is much quieter. Busy days are usually the weekends, and even more so during festive seasons.
“These days, both the male and female members of the family go to work as daily needs increase. Back then, it was a tradition for everybody to stay in one house, and people commuted by bus. Nowadays, individual families have their own houses and cars,” he said.
Dr Shajahan added that with the cost of daily essentials increasing, the budget for clothing and textiles decreases. During the early days when he took over in 1997, people could buy textiles for seven to 10 outfits to wear during Hari Raya.
“But these days, most would only purchase textiles for the first day of Hari Raya.”
Then and now
Before the advancement of technology, when people relied heavily on the internet for consumerism, obtaining stock to sell at shops required significant time and financial resources. When his father manned Salih Ahmad, Dr Shajahan recalled that textiles were all obtained from Singapore, as it was the main trading hub of the region back then.
Over time, Kuala Lumpur became the hub, and soon after, the revolution of business shifted to traders visiting the shop to introduce new products. In those days, Kuching’s busiest streets — India Street, Main Bazaar, Gambier Street, Carpenter Street, and Padungan — continued to bustle.
“And now, it’s different.”
In the era of traditions, traveling was a luxury.
“During those years, people were scared of traveling even to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Furthermore, it was costly. So, they only depended on shops that existed here. Anything they wanted to buy, they had to buy here,” said Dr Shajahan.
He added that it was a trend for the males to go to work, while the female counterparts became the house managers.
“And they would be out shopping. If not at the market, it was on the streets. The trend continued until the 1980s. India Street was always full of people; it was always lively.”
As a flying doctor regularly stationed in rural areas, Dr Shajahan had staff members who would request him to purchase items from Kuching city to be brought over.
“As the mode of transportation was limited back then, it was hard for them to travel to the city. Their only transport was the bus. Now, everyone, even those from Sri Aman, can come down to Kuching any time and treat it as a holiday or as a transit to go to the airport. People can travel everywhere now.”
After the 1980s, Dr Shajahan disclosed that business slowed down. With traveling becoming easier and media such as television and radio advertising different places to visit, everything became convenient. Parents are also encouraging their children to get an education and to be independent — to have a good-paying job.
“Slowly, we saw how the internet started taking over, as people could buy things much easier with a click on the phone. We could travel the world with just our phones. In return, fewer people need to visit India Street these days.”
Is the textile business a sunset industry?
Despite the convenience the revolution of technology has brought to the world, Dr Shajahan remains optimistic as his regulars continue to come.
“The older generation still comes, as opposed to the younger generation who prefers online shopping.”
For household names like Salih Ahmad, Dr Shajahan receives visits from Sarawakians who used to frequent the shop but have migrated abroad. From time to time, those who remember his father’s legacy come and appreciate the unique textiles that the company holds.
“Thankfully for the regulars that support us. Otherwise, you can see a lot of newcomers in India Street, and they do a variety of businesses, not just textiles.”
Despite the sunset business, and aside from the regulars that continue to visit, Dr Shajahan revealed that he still gets customers coming in to look for materials for occasions like weddings, family functions, and others — and they are the ones who keep India Street alive these days.
Keeping traditions alive
As the eldest in the family, Dr Shajahan often felt it was his responsibility to continue his father’s legacy through Salih Ahmad. With tradition as his main purpose, from bringing in textiles that were sought after decades ago to keeping stocks of materials that make traditional pieces like the keringkam, Dr Shajahan held on.
Sharing more about the gold thread that he sells in Salih Ahmad for weavers to weave the traditional cloth — keringkam — from the Malay community, Dr Shajahan is one of the rare sellers who continues to bring in this material.
“Keringkam sewn onto tudung is a Malay tradition that has been handed down for generations. The intricate craft requires a gold thread made of pure silver coated with original gold,” he said.
At the textile shop, two types of gold threads are available. Dr Shajahan further explained that one type is the original thread that can shine for years to come, while the other type is an imitation typically used for learning and teaching purposes.
He added that with the state government’s efforts to reintroduce the Malay tradition of keringkam into the community, more youngsters have shown interest in this almost obsolete tradition.
Revealing the prices for these gold threads, Dr Shajahan shared that back in the 1960s, a bunch of thread cost RM12, while the imitation ones cost RM2. Today, the original gold thread costs RM200 per bunch, while the latter costs RM40.
“People usually buy according to the design and the length of cloth they are working with.”
Whether the textile business and India Street itself gradually become a sunset industry, one thing is certain: the identity of the industry remains. Once a busy street, India Street continues to embody the history of how Indians became part of Sarawak’s melting pot.
