Fizzling demand imperils Malaysia’s last matchstick maker

S. Mahfuz and Minderjeet Kaur
2023.11.03
Kota Bharu, Malaysia

Rows of sulfur-tipped matchsticks made from wood imported from China await packaging at the Kelantan Matchstick Factory in Kota Bharu, Malaysia, Oct. 21, 2023. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews]

A worker moves pallets outside the Kelantan Matchstick Factory. The last of its kind in Malaysia, the factory employs 25 workers, far less than the 1,000 in its heyday, Oct. 21, 2023. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews]

Brands of matches produced by the Kelantan Matchstick Factory are displayed in their boxes, Oct. 21, 2023. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews]

A worker arranges matchsticks into a container to be sent to the factory’s packaging section, Oct. 21, 2023. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews]

Workers fill matchboxes with matches at the Kelantan Matchstick Factory, Oct. 21, 2023. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews]

Thousands of empty matchboxes are ready to be filled, Oct. 21, 2023. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews]

The Kelantan Matchstick Factory produced these boxes in the 1990s to promote tourism in Malaysia, Oct. 21, 2023. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews]

The Kelantan Matchstick Factory produced these boxes in the 1990s to promote tourism in Malaysia, Oct. 21, 2023. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews]

Boxes of the iconic Cap Lada (Red Chilli) safety matches are produced at the Kelantan Matchstick Factory, Oct. 21, 2023. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews]

After nine decades in business, Malaysia’s last surviving matchstick and matchbox factory is in danger of closing.

The Kelantan Matchstick Factory employed about 1,000 workers during its heyday, but its workforce has dwindled to 25 workers today. That’s because demand has plummeted through stiff competition from lighters – and, more recently, e-cigarettes and vaping – among other factors, its owner said.

“Demand for matchsticks is so low and the cost of imported wood from China has surged by nearly 30%. We will terminate the operations if we fail to sustain the operations,” Tan Chong San told BenarNews.

“We can no longer find a way to transform this matchstick factory,” he told BenarNews.

Chong bought the factory in 1995, the last of several owners since it was opened in 1933.

“Now, even the lighter business is declining due to the emergence of vaping. We are the only matchstick factory around, but the business is still challenging to sustain,” he said.

The Kelantan state government had proposed converting the factory into a tourist spot but Chong rejected the suggestion after considering its environment.