Capital of unity

At Capital Café, 1Malaysia existed decades before it became a feel-good slogan adopted by politicians.

IN a corner of Capital Café, a muggy colonial era kopitiam where little but the light bulbs have changed since his father’s times, sat Abdul Kadir Jalawi, 63, alone with his walking stick. For the past 35 years, this blind singer from the Sixties lunches here several times a week – he’s obsessed with the rojak and roti stim, or steamed bread, which he usually downs with a cup of strong black coffee.