GE15: Buskers hope govt will develop Teluk Cempedak, giving them opportunities to perform

KUANTAN: Politicians and their supporters have descended upon the city over the past two weeks, with their big trucks fitted with loudspeakers playing party tunes.

In the evenings, loudspeakers amplify speeches of hopeful candidates during ceramah sessions.

But the election frenzy does not seem to bother busker Mazlan Mohammad, who carts his weathered drum set in his car every day, from his home in Inderapura to Teluk Cempedak, about 17km away.

With his huge speaker blaring songs – mainly Malay rock tunes - Mazlan is a picture of cool as he sits with his back to the sea.

Locals and tourists alike stop a while to appreciate his music, give him a few ringgit, film him on their phones and move along.

"I've been playing here for three years. Cari makan lah," he said as he continued to drum to a Malay cover of Eric Clapton's ‘Wonderful Tonight’.

"Yes, there's a lot of people in Kuantan now. Of course, we all must vote... it’s our duty and responsibility to choose our leaders.

"I’ll be heading out to vote on Saturday too, but I can’t tell you who I will vote for. That’s a secret. I do follow politics... we have to know what’s going on, right? But...not too much," he said.

Mazlan is grateful to be able to earn a living doing what he loves, but he hopes that the state government would do more to develop Teluk Cempedak and give a platform for buskers like him to perform.

"It gets a bit busier on weekends but overall, it has been slow. You hardly see any mat salleh (foreign tourists) here these days. It's a pity. Teluk Cempedak used to be bustling. But even before the pandemic, things slowed down.

"The government must do more to bring local and international tourists here because we have a beautiful beach. And help us musicians out, too. Engage us to perform at events or programmes to attract tourists," he said.

Mazlan plays at the beachfront from mid-morning to night, unless it rains.

"It's cheaper than renting a studio to practise or to jam. It can cost about RM30 to 40 an hour," he said.

Better known as Lan Drummer TC, the 57-year-old has been playing the drums since he was in school and has never stopped.

He used to be in a band in his younger days and then moved to busking.

Mazlan used to busk in Central Market in Kuala Lumpur and had been around the peninsula playing with his friends.

"I only stopped during the MCO. How could I play? I'd get caught!" he said.

In his heyday, he used to play with his band at gigs, events and weddings but they disbanded as "some have gotten married, started their own families and moved away."

"But some of my friends come and play with me here sometimes. There are a few other buskers here too on some days. Hopefully things pick up here for us," he said.