The elderly char kuey teow vendor in Penang is currently in stable condition after receiving a blood transfusion, following a shocking incident at his stall on Friday (30 January).
The 71-year-old vendor reportedly vomited blood midway through serving customers, with his wife present at the time.
According to another vendor at the hawker centre, the man behind the popular “Barefoot Char Kuey Teow,” Chen Mu Quan (transliteration), arrives at his stall as early as 5 AM to set up before beginning operations at 6 AM. He typically runs his business until 4 PM every day, except on Thursdays.
Chen had worked non-stop for a week prior to the incident and postponed his day off to the eve of Thaipusam (Saturday, 31 January). He reportedly chose to rest that day, anticipating lighter customer traffic due to congestion.
No plans to retire
A vendor who spoke to China Press described Chen as a hardworking individual despite his age, noting that he previously fried noodles at two different locations. He used to operate a stall at a coffee shop in the morning before moving to the hawker centre in the afternoon.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic brought changes, and Chen no longer runs his business at multiple locations.
The vendor added that Chen has no plans to retire for the time being, even though he has spent most of his life working.
“He is considered a popular vendor, and many tourists come here just to try his char kuey teow,” she said.
Earlier reports stated that Chen vomited blood while preparing meals for customers, with his shirt soaked in blood—shocking his wife and nearby patrons.
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