Chope: Year of The Underdog

2007 will probably go down as the year Old Town became the new Starbucks. OK, that’s a bit of a hyperbole, but even the biggest caramel macchiato lover would have noticed the rise of the kopi and kaya toast chain in both numbers and popularity across the Klang Valley. Even Wi-Fi junkies seem to be finding white coffee just as suitable an accompaniment to a serious session of superpoking and chumpbiting on Facebook.

Beyond the rise in kaya consumption among the younger generation, I think this new trend is a reflection of a larger development. It might be related to (or it might not) to the rise of the local entrepreneur. While the trend has been picking up over the years, there’s no denying that 2007 is the year that the little guy, the small local initiative, or the DIY effort, challenged the big guy, not just for our money, but more importantly, relevance in our culture. Smaller upstarts are ready to take on established big names—having an impact on what we eat and drink, what we read and watch, where we go to, and also what we wear.

In a year of big gestures like sending a Malaysian to space, a year of big new malls that are virtually cities of their own, and a year filled with huge government scandals, it’s little wonder that these smaller things are often overlooked. 2007, after all, was the year when the unchallenged monopoly of Dunkin Donuts is finally being given a good fight. Interestingly, it wasn’t its American rival Krispy Kreme that started the revolt, but rather local newcomer Big Apple and the Indonesian J Co.

Fittingly for the 50th Merdeka, Klang Valley seems to have discovered little zeal for independence, as cool KL-ites liberated themselves from the tragic limitation of only playing in bands or becoming DJs. Just as many are starting hip T-shirt labels, little independent boutiques, or running their own cafes, restaurants and and bars. From Kurasaraksasa to Plastic, Shoes Shoes Shoes to Dolls, this was a certainly a year of many small ideas with big hearts.

While The Gap isn’t shaking in fear of its newer competitors, nor Coffee Bean putting kaya on their menu anytime soon, I welcome the localised alternatives. The Klang Valley is all the more richer and exciting with these small players. This was, after all, the year when The Central Market Arts Annexe, a barely done-up multi-purpose space in an old building became the most exciting venue for local arts, a stark contrast to the glitzier performing arts centres.

With no glass facade, no top of the line equipment, and barely working bathrooms (or ones that you have to pay 50 sen for), The Annexe is an arts space that reflects the city it serves. It also proved that creative (and free) programming goes a long way to attracting an audience. An accessible, central location probably doesn’t hurt either.

2007 was also the year that a short, low-budget documentary by a first time filmmaker with a passionate interest in his subject seemed more relevant to the times than than the bigger productions also looking at the past. Fahmi Reza’s 10 Tahun Sebelum Merdeka (10tahun.blogspot.com) gave me more insight into Malaysian past, present and future than the likes of 1957: Hati Malaya or the musicals with Tan Cheng Lock or the Tunku, as enjoyable as I’m sure they all were.

Though the hype over blogs began years ago, this, I believe is the year that bloggers really gave newspapers and magazines here, including this one, a run for their money. The popularity and, in some cases, the quality of some of these blogs have left us in the “traditional media” breathless.

For one, the mainstream newspapers often reacted to the agenda set by blogs, especially with the major government scandals of this year like the VK Lingam video, the squandering of RM4.6 billion on the PKFZ project and the numerous corruption allegations involving high-ranking police chiefs and Cabinet members.

Beyond offering uncensored insight into socio-political issues affecting our nation, however, blogs and those behind them began encroaching on areas usually reserved for big media corporations. It’s now seen as a viable platform for advertising, a market also tapped by small, independent players like Nuffnang and Advertlets, not Google.

But most importantly, 2007 was the year that local bloggers became public personalities if not downright celebrities. If big media thought fame is for it to grant, it thought wrong—Joyce Wong aka the KinkyBlueFairy or Kenny Sia aka, well, Kenny Sia, are arguably as well known to KL-ites as Hannah Tan and Daphne Iking. At the same time, Wee Meng Chee aka Namewee had more Malaysian listening to his songs than all the TV-created popstars combined, even getting top politicians to review his rhymes and sampling skills.

In other words, 2007 was the year of the little guy. It was the year small, independent and local endeavours made the city a little more unique, a touch more reflective of its people, and a whole lot more exciting a place to sip white coffee in.

Brian Yap cannot deal with another "Correct, correct, correct!" joke. Don't send him any at brian@freeform.com.my