Durians and Malaysians — Simply inseparable
It was fun returning to the kampung this time. All the way from Ulu Bendol to Kuala Pilah (in Negeri Sembilan), it was lively as there were many stalls selling local fruits. Durian ‘bukit’, durian ‘kampung’, durian ‘IOI’, mangosteen, rambutan, kundang – they’re all there. But there was one issue. The car drivers were so ‘mesmerised’ by the stalls that they were driving at 30km/hour – causing a jam on this already-narrow road. Facebook post
KUALA LUMPUR: It is true what people say about durians – yes, they do exude a certain appeal that can be overwhelming at times.
Faithful devotees of this ‘ King of Fruits’ never fail to get excited each time they catch sight of a pile of durians for sale by the roadside.
Motorists would either slow down or stop their vehicles by the roadside to make a purchase, inevitably causing traffic jams and inconveniencing road users.
“It was fun returning to the kampung this time. All the way from Ulu Bendol to Kuala Pilah (in Negeri Sembilan), it was lively as there were many stalls selling local fruits. Durian ‘ bukit’, durian ‘ kampung’, durian ‘ IOI’, mangosteen, rambutan, kundang – they’re all there.
“But there was one issue. The car drivers were so ‘mesmerised’ by the stalls that they were driving at 30km/ hour – causing a jam on this already-narrow road,” a friend of mine grumbled on her Facebook post.
It is hard to explain why, but there is something about this thorny delight that casts a spell on just about anyone, not to mention its hordes of hardcore fans.
Recently, my younger sister and I had a similar experience when we visited a durian orchard in Kampung Belangkan in Rantau, Negeri Sembilan, which belonged to my late mother and her siblings.
It is a small orchard with only nine trees and is located beside a lane, leading to the main road. Obviously, the sight of the trees laden with durians was too tempting for passing motorists to ignore.
“Looking for durians?” asked an Indian man, who parked his lorry by the roadside, as soon as he saw my sister and I scouring the grounds for fallen fruits.
To be honest, he was the ninth driver to stop by our orchard that particular day when we were there. I must say that our orchard’s harvest was somewhat bountiful this year, compared with that of the previous years.
“Is this your orchard? I always pass by here and have seen people collecting durians inside the orchard many times,” the lorry driver said.
Pointing to his friend, a Chinese man sitting inside the lorry, he confessed that they had taken some of our durians – but only those that had fallen outside the fencing.
While he and his friend helped us look for fallen fruits, I told them that it was OK for them to help themselves to the durians if they found them outside the orchard.
I guess our orchard is an easy target for durian thieves because we – my sister and I who live in Kuala Lumpur and an aunt who lives in Jasin, Melaka – only get to visit the orchard once in a while.
With regard to the conversation we struck up with the lorry driver and his friend, who would think that durians have the power to break the ice?
Yes, complete strangers are willing to get a conversation going – all because of the deliciously soft, creamy and fragrant contents that lie beneath the durian’s thorny exterior.
It is an extremely popular fruit and is adored by most Malaysians – Malays, Chinese, Indians and people from other ethnic groups.
The durian season is an exciting time for fans of the fruit. This year, durian lovers are in for a bonanza as bumper harvests have led to a sharp drop in prices in most states.
Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority ( Fama) director- general Datuk Ahmad Ishak was quoted as saying that this year’s durian output had increased three- fold to 180,000 metric tonnes, from 60,000 metric tonnes last year.
The glut has also enabled durian lovers to dig into all types of durian kampung, as well as the better- quality and pricier varieties like ‘Musang King’ and ‘ Udang Merah’.
If previously the ‘ Musang King’ was sold at between RM60 and RM80 per kilogramme, now it is available at half that price, according to a friend.
Many organisations are taking advantage of the affordable prices to host durian feasts or ‘ pesta durian’ for the public to enjoy the fruit to their heart’s content – at minimal fixed rates. Additionally, durian- based delicacies like ice- cream and cakes are usually served at such feasts.
Previously, the ‘ King of Fruits’ was an absolute no- no at most premises due to its overpowering aroma, but now corporate and tourism bodies and even hotels are holding durian feasts at their premises.
Even the Bernama Staff Club recently held a durian feast for its staff.
To all intents and purposes, the durian appears to be the perfect fruit to unite Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, culture and even political affiliation.
Just go to a durian feast or even a stall, and you would see all of them there relishing the fruit – in fact, it is a good platform to foster the spirit of unity among the various communities in our country.
This is the atmosphere that should prevail as we observe the National Month from Aug 4 to Sept 16, in conjunction with National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations. — Bernama