Ong said he was only 22 when he took over the joss stick factory in Bukit Mertajam in Penang, which was built by his grandfather Ong Ah Kaw more than 60 years ago. Photo: Bernama
Dragon joss stick makers are among the busiest people with the approaching of the Chinese New Year (CNY) as they work non-stop to keep up with the increasing orders for the prayer paraphernalia.
Ong Chin Chye, 64, who runs a traditional dragon joss stick factory in Kubang Semang - a small village in Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Perai in Penang - said he received orders for 10,000 dragon joss sticks of various sizes for this CNY celebration, which is a two or threefold increase than in previous years.
Most of the orders are from owners of agarwood shops and temples, he said, adding that due to the unusual orders, he and his employees had to work until midnight.
A close-up view of the dragon joss sticks made at Ong's factory in Bukit Mertajam in Penang. Photo: Bernama
"Most of the orders are from my regular customers. Apart from Penang, I also received orders from Kedah, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Kelantan, Sabah, Sarawak and Thailand.
"Some of the orders came as early as October last year, " he said recently at his factory.
Ong said the basic ingredients used for making the dragon joss sticks are wood glue dust and eucalyptus powder mixed with water and then attached to a wooden stick layer by layer until it becomes a joss stick.
A worker puts together the raw materials needed to make the festive season joss sticks at Ong's factory. Photo: Bernama
The layer needs to be completely dry before a new layer is placed, he said, adding that the process takes between three days and a month before the dragon design can be pasted on it.
"Making these joss sticks is very complicated because all the processes from start to finish are done manually, but all my 20 workers are trained and efficient with their respective tasks, so there is no problem," he said.
Ong said he was only 22 years old when he took over the factory, which was built by his grandfather Ong Ah Kaw more than 60 years ago.
Ong readies up the orders for the dragon joss sticks, which will be sent out to regular customers in Penang as well as to meet orders from Kedah, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Kelantan, Sabah, Sarawak and Thailand. Photo: Bernama
"I learned to make these joss sticks from my grandmother when I was 14-years old. There are more than 50 types of joss stick designs produced at my factory. They range in size, from 1.2m to 4.8m high and the price is between RM10 and RM800 each," said the affable craftsman, who has three children.
Ong said he maintained the traditional way of making the joss sticks because the method is preferred by his customers.
"It is because of that my business can survive until now," he added. - Bernama
