The Suburbs #2 – SS1, PJ

I am one of those few Klang Valley dwellers who has not moved his entire life. Well, yes, I have lived in various parts of the world, for studies and medium-term travelling holidays, but my home has always been in SS1, Petaling Jaya. In an amusing way, a lot of KL and PJ people don’t have a clue where SS1 is. “Is it near SS2?” is the response I usually get. Well, yes, SS1 is right next to SS2, and is obviously an older section of town compared to SS2. Tucked away after the light industrial area of Jalan 222 and the cowboy towns of sungei way (piece of trivia: ‘SS’ stands for ‘sungei way-subang’), SS1 is largely overlooked because there isn’t much in it, aside from houses and the primary school. 

When I was younger, my parents used to take my brother and I for walks after dinner along the nearby roads. I remember in those days, the area used to have quite a large number of ex-pats. Alliance Francais used to have a branch nearby, and the neighbourhood also housed the Deutsche Schule (although both not in directly in SS1). As time went by, they moved out, but the houses mostly remained the same. My area was developed mostly by the government coop, with prices of houses astoundingly cheap (let’s just say, cheaper than a kancil even when my parents bought this house). Many of my neighbours have stacked stories over the initial one-level bungalows they bought. Some had aesthetically good results, while most of the rest have had dire consequences. One of my neighbours has been trying to sell their home for years, but I think buyers are reluctant because the only thing they can do is tear the unsightly constructs and rebuild a new home on the plot of land. 

As I grew up, I explored my neighbourhood more and more, mostly on my bicycle. My dogs now have the benefit of my knowledge, as I take them on long walks (designed to tire them out). Most of SS1 is on higher ground, with a clear view of Paramount and the elevated LRT track nearby (pic above). On clear nights, you can even see Genting Highlands, but it’s been awhile since the haze and dust has settled. As mentioned, most of the houses were originally single-storey bungalows, but some have been made into gargantuan monstrosities, while others have retained their initial aesthetic integrity. Some people bought several plots of land, building huge houses (left pic below), with underground car parks and all (right pic below). Some others have renovated their homes into interesting little creations, with traditional Malay elements, or clean straight retro lines (pics further below).

The roads are generally quiet, with trees lining both sides of the grass on the road shoulder. It usually is breezy along these streets, which are generally clear of cars parked willy-nilly along the side. My dogs and I usually have the luxury of hogging the entire road, with little concern of cars driving at top speed, despite there being no speed bumps or judder bars or anything impeding the speed of motor vehicles. Motorists are of a different breed here, possibly. All in all, it makes for an interesting walk around my neighbourhood at dusk (or at night – pics below).

Once upon a time, this area had one of the few skating rinks in the Valley (which I knew of). My brother and I used to trudge up with our skates once in a blue moon. Slowly, footballers took over the rink, and finally drug addicts. Now the rink has made way for a new mosque (pics below). When it was being built, I thought it was a block of condominiums – I hadn’t thought there’d be a mosque, considering how close the surau is – pic further below). Right next to the mosque, there is a new playground. An observation: playgrounds in the Klang Valley seem to lack good big trees.

When I’m all grown up, and have tons of money, I’d like to buy a house somewhere in the neighbourhood.