The pub has a brand new signboard, and is framed with an assembly of potted plants (All photos: Sam Fong/The Edge)
At first glance, there is not much a pub, collection of poetry and cabaret dancer’s legacy have in common. Yet, this year there is reason to celebrate all three: Ronnie Q will be 33 come December; Cecil Rajendra’s first book, Embryo, was published six decades ago; and the famed Flower of Malaya, Rose Chan, would have been 100 on April 18.
To commemorate the occasion, on June 14, a group of long-time friends banded together at Ronald Quay’s three-decade old establishment, which has served drinks and dishes to a crowd of loyal patrons since its opening in 1992.
The watering hole, its entrance framed with an assembly of potted plants, is a permanent fixture in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Many regulars, including journalists from the nearby News Straits Times office, have come and gone with the years, and neighbouring tenants have done the same. Amid the shifts, Ronnie Q remains a constant, having undergone little change except for a new signboard that glows with vigour.
The pub’s 77-year-old proprietor, known to friends and bargoers as Ronnie, says his first love was cricket. “I used to go around the world to watch matches. And what do you do after a game of rugby and cricket? Go to the nearest bar,” he says with a smile.
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Finding his shoplot rather underutilised, Ronnie took the initiative to set up his own spot where he could practise his much-loved hobby: cheering for players over a pint of freshly poured beer with the chums. But a hurdle soon arose, and an important one at that: naming the place. Ideas were floated, and Ronnie played around with cricket terms, until a friend made the suggestion of simply naming it after himself.
In its early years, the pub focused on screening live telecasts of the three most popular English sports — cricket (the apple of Ronnie’s eye), rugby and football — though it has since branched out to others, like the recent French Open. During quieter seasons, visitors can catch up on the news instead.
Though a familiar haunt for many, Ronnie Q still faces competition from surrounding establishments as a spot to gather and spectate the latest in sports. “When I first started, we were hugely popular, but even mamak shops now are showing [sports]. They’ve taken away a lot of the customers,” Ronnie laments. Another blow was the Covid-19 pandemic. The pub, like many others, struggled, though Ronnie says things are slowly settling again, with his usual clientele returning for the company of familiar faces.
Aside from beer on the tap and cocktails, those seeking a bite for lunch can find pork sausages, burgers and pizza. One highlight is the wild boar curry pizza — chunks of roasted meat sit on a delightfully crisp crust, topped with aromatic curry, melted cheese and crunchy curry leaves.
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Crafted specially for the June event was the sweet Rose Chan cocktail, consisting of gin, rose syrup, cranberry juice and a touch of elderflower, finished with red petals for a decorative touch. The drink was named after the Chinese-born dancer, known for her uninhibited cabaret routines — wrestling with pythons and striptease acts that made her a controversial, yet iconic, figure.
Her career began in Singapore, where she excelled at a variety of dances, though a wardrobe malfunction during one show propelled her into the spotlight. The feisty Chan went on to tour Malaysia, donating her earnings to various charities, all the while having brushes with the law which left her unfazed.
Shortly after retiring, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and died at her home in Butterworth, Penang, aged 62. Despite this, her shows, stories and strength live on. No Bed of Roses: The Rose Chan Story, by Rajendra, is a faithful biography of her colourful life. Over home-cooked lunches, Chan divulged her secrets and experiences to him, her lawyer at the time.
No night of revelry is complete without a tune or two to get folks in the mood for celebration. Ronnie took to the makeshift stage, guitar in hand, to strum out songs that took many on a trip down memory lane. Hits with the crowd included A E Manoharan’s wistful Surangani, a playful rendition of an Indonesian children’s song Ayo Mama and Hank Thompson’s The Wild Side of Life.
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The main event of the night was Rajendra’s Poetry Plus, during which he read excerpts from his 26th book, Doomsday Dirges. The bleak poetry title contains short verses on death — both his own and the planet’s — as well as caustic takes on romance and politics.
Accompanying him was his son Yasunari, wielding an instrument most would find a bizarre sight. Haunting and hollow, the didgeridoo’s sound was the perfect accompaniment to Rajendra’s gloomy readings. The wind instrument originated in Australia and was developed by its Aboriginal people more than 1,000 years ago. Yasunari’s versions are handcrafted, one fashioned from a wplastic pipe and another two carved from the trunks of Dracaena fragrans trees, grown in their Penang home.
To produce the low hum that the didgeridoo is known for is an easy task, the musician says, but playing it continuously is what most struggle with. “That requires training of the mouth. It’s a motion you have to keep doing until you get it.” Playing the instrument not only strengthens the muscles in one’s face, but also the diaphragm and lungs. Some pick it up to relieve sinus issues or as a cure for incessant snoring.
Though he studied fashion design, Yasunari’s true passion lies in other artistic pursuits. His sessions and expertise with the didgeridoo have led him to participate in therapeutic practices alongside sound healers who use singing bowls to produce calming noises, creating environments in which one can relax and meditate.
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The audience was treated to more musical numbers on the didgeridoo, alongside the mellow notes of a saxophone, played by Dr Adil Johan from Universiti Malaya’s music department. Rounding up the night was Jerald Gomez on the guitar, whose last notes wafted into the air beyond the bar’s walls, sending guests home with memories of an evening well spent.
Not only did the event mark milestones and pay homage to those who flourished in their own way, it also served as a celebration of ties forged over the years. Many ex-journalists dropped by, alongside names such as retired Court of Appeal judge V C George and his son Chacko George Vadaketh, a lawyer turned actor and voice artist, architect Lim Take Bane and retired newspaper editor Sheila Rahman, to reconnect with old coworkers and talk about days long past.
This article first appeared on July 14, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
