Chow Kit: Aceh Town in Kuala Lumpur

In the middle of Kuala Lumpur city, Malaysia there is an area called Chow Kit. This place has a special impression for the people of Aceh. Chow Kit is a market where you can find shops owned by traders from Aceh.

There are people of Aceh who sell 'herbs' a kind of herb or traditional medicine is quite popular in Malaysia. The Acehnese also have minimarkets here. From large stores to street vendors in Chow Kit, dominated by Acehnese.

In the center of Chow Kit there is an Acehnese Restaurant called 'Aceh Meutuah'. This restaurant became a long-term healer for the Acehnese who live in the overseas. I used to eat here with @riadi.

View of the part of Chow Kit

Long and Great History between Aceh and Malaysia

The relations between Aceh and Malaysia have been established since pre-colonial times. In the past the kingdom of Aceh was quite superior, even conquered and controlled several kingdoms on the Malay peninsula (Malaysia now). It is said that the Sultan of Aceh had married Pahang's daughter. Inside the Royal Palace of Aceh built a special building called 'Gunongan', a hilly building that is designed similar to where the daughter came from. Here Puteri Pahang bathed and played around to spend her time.

The kingdom of Aceh has also attacked the Portuguese who controlled Malacca, the grandest Islamic kingdom of the Malay peninsula. Aceh considers Malacca to be a brother. For that reason Aceh mobilized military forces with the help of Ottoman Turkey for the release of Malacca. This heroic event is still remembered in folklore today.

Migration of Acehnese

At the end of the collapse of the Aceh kingdom, a number of Acehnese were sent to Malaysia to save themselves so that the Acehnese would not become extinct due to the devastating war with the Dutch. The Dutch began to invade Aceh in 1876. Until the Dutch came out of Aceh and eventually Aceh joined Indonesia, Aceh was never defeated, in the sense that the Dutch did not fully control the territory of Aceh. The upheaval of resistance continued to be advanced by the people of Aceh until the end of the Dutch colonial period.

The Acehnese at that time migrated to the country of Kedah in a town called Yan. There built a village called Kampung Acheh. In the village was born and grow Acehnese who became important figures in Malaysia. One of them is Tan Sri Sanusi Djunid, former Minister of Agriculture of Malaysia and former Secretary General of UMNO, the ruling party in Malaysia for five decades.

The tradition of migrating to Malaysia continues to be a habit until now. Many traders and businessmen from Aceh who have been successful in Malaysia. A massive wave of migration occurred during the armed conflict in Aceh fighting for Aceh's independence from Indonesia. At that time the Indonesian soldiers acted repressively and often tortured the public. Some move to save themselves. A group of Acehnese moved to Malaysia and joined the Aceh National Liberation Front (ASNLF) to fight for Aceh's independence.

In the wake of the tsunami, the Malaysian government issued a special permit for Acehnese to settle in Malaysia temporarily (about two years). This policy is thanks to the lobbying of Acehnese who are among the top person in the government of Malaysia.