Lai making a keris in his workshop in Permas, Kukup, and showing one of the keris he has made. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
LAI Kah Foh never imagined that his passion for forging the keris would one day lead him to the Johor palace and have tea with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
The 72-year-old, who picked up the art of keris-making at the age of 13, said he was shocked when a man came by his wooden shop in Kukup, Pontian one day to extend a special invitation from His Majesty.
“I thought that he was just another customer, but it turned out to be more than that. The man asked me a few questions about myself before telling me that His Majesty wanted to meet me personally.
Lai making a keris in his workshop in Permas, Kukup, and showing one of the keris he has made. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
“He told me to be ready by 8am the next day, as a car would come by to pick me up and take me to the palace. I was very surprised and did not really believe it at first.
“That night, I was very excited and nervous. Honestly, I did not know what to prepare.
“I am just a simple keris-maker from a small fishing village. How would someone like me know what to bring to meet such an important figure?
“Regardless, I got ready, put on my batik shirt and waited for the car to pick me up the next day,” he said, adding that he ended up bringing five keris, some photo albums of his creations and some name cards to the palace.
The car arrived as promised that morning and took Lai to Istana Pasir Pelangi, where he sat down to talk and have tea with His Majesty for about three hours.
“I remember seeing a very warm and kind smile carved on His Majesty’s face when I walked in. It was a very special moment for me.
“His Majesty was a down-to-earth person, making it easy for me to be myself. We spent most of the time talking about our shared interest in keris.
A first-day cover marking the 1955 diamond jubilee of Johor’s Sultan Sir Ibrahim. — THOMAS YONG/the Star
“I showed His Majesty the keris I had brought along with me. His Majesty was very interested in the process of making the keris and the materials used to make the traditional blade.
“His Majesty also has very impressive knowledge about the keris,” he said.
Upon returning home from the once-in-a-lifetime meeting in March 2022, Lai decided to make a keris specially for the Ruler.
“Unfortunately, I did not know how to get the keris to him. I kept it with me for about two years and waited for a chance to send the keris to His Majesty.
“My prayers were answered when a senior civil servant came over to my shop one day to order a handmade keris.
“He told me that the keris was a gift for His Majesty before he ascended the throne and became King of Malaysia. I saw this as a good opportunity, so I quickly asked him to help me present the keris to Sultan Ibrahim.
“Instead, the civil servant told me to hold on to it first as I will soon get the chance to personally present the keris to His Majesty,” he said.
Wong showing the first-day covers marking Sultan Ibrahim’s coronation as the Johor ruler dated March 23, 2015 (top) and one commemorating his Majesty’s father Sultan Iskandar as the eighth King of Malaysia (bottom).
Lai later met the Sultan for the second time in January this year, just days before he began his reign as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“As promised, the civil servant got me a chance to meet His Majesty. He called me up one day, telling me to come over to the Laman Diraja Pontian.
“Sultan Ibrahim was there to meet the people. I was invited to a special room where I got to see His Majesty again and give him the gift,” he said.
Meanwhile, a man in Kluang also has a hobby linked to the royals.
Avid stamp collector Wong Chia Fatt said he is eagerly waiting for the first-day cover to commemorate Sultan Ibrahim as the 17th King of Malaysia to add to his vast collection.
The 85-year-old said he still feels passionate about keeping up with the hobby, which he picked up when he was a young boy growing up at his father’s coffee shop in Paloh.
Wong, who now runs the third generation business, located in the small town in Kluang, even keeps a log book of all the stamps in his collection.
“This makes it a breeze for me to look for a particular stamp I want because I tend to flip through my collection from time to time.
“To me, stamps are important in documenting an important date or event in our country or internationally.
“When I look at a certain stamp, it instantly brings back memories of that particular period in my life,” he told The Star when met at his shop in Jalan Abu Bakar, Kampung Muhibbah.
His wide collection of more than 50 stamp albums include hundreds of first-day covers from both Malaya/Malaysia, Singapore and other countries dating back to almost 67 years.
“Some of my favourites in my collection are the ones commemorating Sultan Ibrahim’s father Sultan Iskandar as the 8th King of Malaysia; and that of Sultan Ibrahim’s coronation as the Johor Ruler on March 23, 2015.
“Other notable ones in my collection are the stamps marking the 1955 diamond jubilee of Johor’s Sultan Sir Ibrahim; the coronation of Sultan Ismail as state ruler in 1960; and of course, the independence of Malaysia in 1957,” he said.
Wong added that he is looking forward to the first-day cover to mark Sultan Ibrahim’s ascend to the federal throne as the country’s 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
He also said that he was such a big fan of stamps that he used to deposit money with Singapore Post and Pos Malaysia so each time there was a first-day cover, he would immediately get a copy without having to queue up.
When the grandfather of three is not flipping through his prized possessions, he serves up his signature kaya and butter toast and Hainan coffee to his patrons who frequent his shop.
“My children and grandkids are not quite interested in stamp collecting but it is fine, I do it for my own pleasure,” he said.
