CHIN Kwee Chin fondly remembers the early days of Petaling Jaya, Selangor, when a popular department store stood on the site now occupied by Digital Mall in Section 14.
The 91-year-old also recalls when Kuala Lumpur’s Central Market still functioned as a wet market, along with other landmarks that had since disappeared or changed over the years.
Having lived in Petaling Jaya since 1962, the retired science teacher followed much of that transformation through The Star, which has been part of her routine for more than five decades.
“After breakfast, the first thing I do is read The Star,” said Chin.
“I will first look through the main headlines; when I am free in the evening, I go through the stories in detail.”
Among the headlines etched in her memory were the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the US, the Highland Towers collapse and the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
“I must keep reading so that I am well-informed about what is happening around me,” she said.
“I depend mostly on the newspaper to give me knowledge and the latest information, whether it is about new flyovers, highways or changes in Kuala Lumpur.”
Chin’s memories of the changing cityscape include the original Jaya Supermarket and a bustling market located within the same complex as Section 14’s food court.
In Kuala Lumpur, she remembers the then Bukit Bintang Girls’ School in Jalan Bukit Bintang, The Weld swimming pool, Pudu Jail and the old Central Market.
“I have witnessed development and, sometimes, overdevelopment over the years,” said Chin.
“The infrastructure has undergone massive expansion, such as the Federal Highway and the Damansara-Puchong Expressway, both of which cut through Petaling Jaya.
“Lately, there has also been the construction of more high-rise condominiums.”
Chin believes residents would have once preferred larger, landed homes because Petaling Jaya had abundant land.
“Now, I realise that other factors, such as security, facilities, location and convenience, matter to younger people and even the elderly,” she said during an interview at her home in Section 22, Petaling Jaya.
Chin does not own a mobile phone and relies on family members for online matters.
Her newspaper subscription is renewed online, but a vendor continues to deliver the physical copy.
Chin said printed news helped her avoid misleading online content and scams while keeping her brain alert.
She taught at Bukit Bintang Boys Secondary School in Jalan Utara, Petaling Jaya, for over two decades before retiring at 53.
She said hardship had taught her the importance of working hard to improve her circumstances.
“Poverty was one of the things I told myself I must overcome, so I made sure I worked hard to earn a better living,” she shared.
Chin also felt the younger generation was becoming less familiar with traditional games such as gasing, congkak, five stones and marbles, and hoped such traditions would continue to be highlighted.
Besides reading news, she also enjoys cooking and baking, although she has not been able to indulge in the latter two for some time.
“If The Star publishes a recipe from a well-known chef, I will cut it out and keep it,” she said.
Chin’s collection of newspaper articles also includes a photograph of herself taken during a previous anniversary event organised by The Star, which she attended with her grandson.
“When I saw the picture in the newspaper, I cut it out and kept it,” she recalled.
Chin advised young people to spend less time on their mobile phones and to develop the habit of reading.
“Even if they do not read storybooks, they should read the newspaper. It really helps a lot.
“When my peers discuss an issue, I can sometimes point out where they are mistaken because I have read about it in the newspaper,” she said.
As The Star marks its 55th anniversary, Chin said the newspaper remained a constant through the different chapters of her life.
“It represents a sense of continuity from the past and present to the future,” she said.
Her son and main caregiver, Ho Hin Choy, 61, said he would continue renewing Chin’s newspaper subscription.
Star Media Group Print senior general manager Goh Kok Soo presented Chin with an appreciation gift for being one of the oldest and most loyal subscribers to The Star during a visit to her home.
