KLUALA LUMPUR: Regular visitors to Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur can usually hear this boisterous cry over a loud hailer: "Hou leng geh muah chee lei, wat luet luet." (Come, very delicious and silky smooth muah chee here).
That would be, the muah chee queen of Petaling Street, Tang Kwok Wang, promoting her wares.
Her peanut muah chee was one of the most irresistible treats in the popular tourist spot.
But Tang's death two months ago left a void in the bustling shopping district in downtown Kuala Lumpur
With her signature bucket hat and apron that hung loosely from her body, Tang could be seen chopping chunks of muah chee made from glutinous rice into smaller bite-sized pieces.
No matter how busy or long the queue was, Tang always struck up a conversation with her customers.
Unlike most stalls that sold plain muah chee, Tang offered a variety of flavours, including her bestsellers Ribena, lychee, black sesame and mango.
With her well-known chant and friendly persona, Tang earned a steady following on social media on top of her loyal clientele of seven decades.
CARRYING ON LEGACY
Two months after the death of Tang, heartfelt tributes and messages continued to pour in from people mourning the loss of an icon.
Tang's muah chee stall's Facebook page, ChinaTown Machi POPO, announced her death on May 31.
One user shared: "I will always miss her cheerful smile."
Another longtime patron shared that he had been buying from Tang for many years and would continue to support her son.
"We will miss Machi Popo and continue supporting this business."
Just recently, a video surfaced on social media, showing a man, believed to be Tang's son, taking over the stall's business.
And in keeping with tradition, Tang's call from the loudspeaker can still be heard.