The Beca / trishaw / 三輪車 is a bicycle with an extra wheel for a side or front cart that ferries cargo or passengers. There are about eight different makes of the Beca found here, all uniquely Malaysian. Beca was the people’s main transport through the early years of Malaya right up to independence, still used in community markets in the Klang Valley and Peninsular today.
The Beca maker of Kuala Lumpur, the 张 Diong family has been in this trade since before WW2, and now in their 2nd generation with Benny Diong, only until recently. Benny closed down his trade for good at the end of July 2021, along with many other traditional trades due to the prolonged pandemic effect on the economy.
With Trades Archive, Jeffrey Lim has documented the intangible knowledge of the making, using the custom-made tools & materials. Under the Kongsi Residensi programme, Jeffrey apprenticed with Benny Diong, and built an example of a Beca, recording the entire process.
Reflecting the traditional apprenticeship method of ‘眼見功夫 / learning by seeing’, Jeffrey with the support from Joshua Kok, Karafuru Visuals, Tan Shin Jie, Tetawowe Atelier and Dennis Ong, KL Heritage Researcher, has recorded the intangible knowledge at a degree of detail not done before, through the use of motion film, digital technical drawings and archival research. Producing video and publication, with an exhibition that showcased the entire project.
This exhibition was showcased at Rumah Attap Library & Collective in Kuala Lumpur in July 2023, and at Ruang Komuniti P320 in Johor in August 2023. The final stop of this touring exhibition will be Ruang Kongsi in Penang.
馬來西亞人對三輪車並不陌生，它是經改裝後，在車旁或前方加上第三個輪胎的腳踏車，用来運貨載客。如今，它漸漸從現代化道路上消失，偶爾會出現在一些懷舊或觀光場域，在巴生谷和馬來西亞半島一帶的巴剎，還有人會使用三輪車運貨。
儘管如此，我們所知甚少的是，原來全馬各地一共可以找到八種三輪車造型，各有專屬設計和製作素材。吉隆坡半山芭巴剎角落裡，也曾有一家歷史悠久的三輪車製作店——「新興」（Sin Hing），惟在2019冠病疫情衝擊下，成為吉隆坡最後一家結業的三輪車店。
「新興」是由福建籍的張氏一家經營，自二戰前就開始在吉隆坡製作三輪車。這門手藝與生意後來傳給第二代的張福美（Benny Diong，下稱「張師傅」），直至2021年7月，張師傅毅然決定歇業，而這見證著吉隆坡逾六十年變遷的老店與行業，也隨之走入歷史。
為了記錄與存藏三輪車製作手藝，老行業全記錄（Trades Archive）計畫發起人林猷進（Jeffrey Lim）於2021年10月，在Kongsi駐村計劃下，當起了張師傅的學徒，與師傅聯手製作三輪車，並記下整個製作過程。
當時，林猷進在Karafuru Visuals的郭聖安, Tetawowe Atelier的陳星潔和KL Heritage研究員王振宇的支援下，用極其細緻程度，透過無對白影像、電子繪畫與檔案研究等形式，記錄著長在張師傅身上那套難以言說的默會知識，力求反映出傳統學徒制中「眼見功夫」的特質。
吉隆坡最後一輛三輪車製作完畢後，連同相關文字和影像記錄，一併在Kongsi KL展出。後來，林猷進將這些珍貴的資料存入限量的隨身碟裡，再送到一些圖書館或資料中心，希望能讓後人回溯、參考與賞析——在庶民社會裡，曾經有著這麼一套匠藝，陪伴著吉隆坡這座城市的人們與各行各業，解決人力與貨物運輸的問題。
同時，透過張師傅的口述歷史，讓我們得以從庶民視角，見證了馬來西亞移民遷移、吉隆坡城市與交通工具變遷、科技/技術發展等多重面向的歷史。
續亞答屋圖書館和P320社區空間後，這輛Beca也將騎到檳城，停泊在共思社Ruang Kongsi。共思社Ruang Kongsi，COEX和老行業全記錄將為你呈現「三輪車的過去與未來」展覽和一系列的分享與放映。
同時共思社Ruang Kongsi也會作為這支隨身碟的駐點，供大家回溯、參考與賞析。