BUTTERWORTH: Nothing expresses a love for Hari Raya celebration quite like wearing a pair of capal (traditional footwear popularly worn by the Malay community) that are true master­pieces of craftsmanship. At a workshop here, craftsman Azmi Jaafar, 50, turns the traditional Malay ­sandals into intricately hand-tooled leather pieces. Such attention to detail can lead to a pair of capal costing RM1,200, and Azmi only has time to make a few of them during the Hari Raya season. He hopes the younger generation will continue supporting traditional capal craftsmen like him. “In my 30 years as a capal maker, I have had a few apprentices but none for many years now.

Source: The Star March 16, 2026 05:24 UTC