Malaysia’s singing goreng pisang seller draws crowds at Penang market
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Ms Lye Chooi Ngoh entertaining market-goers in Penang with classic tunes while selling fried snacks at her stall.
PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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GEORGE TOWN – With a microphone in one hand and a food strainer in the other, Ms Lye Chooi Ngoh is a market sensation as she belts out classic tunes.
Singing with gusto, she performs Malay, Indonesian and Chinese songs such as Si Jantung Hati, Demi Cinta Nih Ye, Madu Dan Racun and Chan Fu at a coffee shop in Jelutong Market, a bustling hawker and wet market area in George Town on Penang Island, Malaysia.
The 58-year-old sells fried sweet potatoes, goreng pisang (banana fritters) and cekodok (mashed banana fritters) and often engages her customers and fellow stall operators to dance along to her music.
When she experiences technical issues with the speaker, her customers cheer her on until the problem is fixed.
Behind her vibrant and jovial personality, Ms Lye harbours a sorrow. She shared that she sings to forget the pain of losing her 20-year-old son 11 years ago.
A single mother of two, she said her son was autistic, and she cared for him for 20 years.
“When he died, I was devastated. He did not like loud sounds or music,” she said.
These days, “singing keeps me alert and hyped”, she added.
“And when I do not sing, I get tired.”
Ms Lye said she has been singing at the stall for seven years, but social media has recently made her more popular.
“Now I have a social media account and post the videos people take of me on it. I sing old classics, but many people now send me song requests, so I am in the process of learning new ones,” she said.
“I usually place my phone in front of me and read the lyrics as I sing along.”
She added that her performances have boosted business, as many customers come to watch her before buying some fritters.
“Once I am done, I pack up and go join my daughter, who runs a coffee shop in Air Itam. I do not sing there as it is my time to rest.”
Mr Lim Kah Khoon, 54, who runs the dim sum stall near Ms Lye’s stall, is often seen dancing in the background of her videos.
“Sometimes she invites me to duet with her, and on other occasions, I dance in the background... we treat each other like family.
“It is a fun party for us as we work and keep the customers engaged. Sometimes they give us a round of applause,” he said.
Mr Kenny Yeoh, 45, who helps his mother with her claypot noodle stall on weekends, said he always joins in for a duet with Ms Lye.
“I love to sing and this is good fun for me. I sneak away from my stall and belt out a few numbers with her,” he said. “We normally choose Hokkien songs, and it is the highlight of my week.” THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
