Although she remains fluent in Tamil, this mother of two and e-hailing driver is most comfortable expressing herself in the Kelantan dialect, whether at home with her family or while ferrying passengers in her car.

For Thanaletchumi, 47, fondly known as Mek Kelate among her TikTok followers, the dialect has become second nature. Having been born and raised in Kelantan, and still residing in the state known as Cik Siti Wan Kembang’s land, she admits that she occasionally slips into the Kelantan dialect even when speaking to those who are not from the state.

“I was born in Kelantan. Since I was young, my family and I spoke the Kelantan dialect at home, so my tongue is used to it. Some people even say my pronunciation is very thick,” she shared. “It has become so ingrained in me that even when I travel outside Kelantan, I have to consciously remind myself.”

For Thanaletchumi, the dialect is more than just a way of speaking. It is a reflection of identity and belonging. She describes it as unique and takes pride in using it, noting that not everyone is able to master the accent.

Her journey as a content creator began unexpectedly. What started as casual uploads for personal viewing slowly gained attention after she shared a video of herself enjoying ulam budu while speaking in the Kelantan dialect. The response was overwhelming, and her follower count grew rapidly.

@makansedap.kl Puan Thanaletchumi, atau lebih dikenali sebagai Mek Kelantan Mek Manis, berkongsi pengalaman pertama kali merantau keluar dari negeri Kelantan untuk berniaga nasi kukus. Menurutnya, pengalaman itu penuh kejutan kerana suasana dan budaya yang jauh berbeza daripada tempat asalnya. Beliau yang membesar di Kelantan sudah terbiasa membeli barangan mentah di kedai Melayu dan sangat menitikberatkan soal halal. Namun, sebaik tiba di Rawang, beliau tidak menyangka akan berdepan kejutan budaya termasuk isu perkauman — sesuatu yang katanya tidak pernah berlaku di negeri kelahirannya. Selama tujuh bulan di Rawang, beliau turut merasakan suasana kejiranan yang sunyi kerana kebanyakan penduduk lebih memilih untuk buat hal masing-masing. Keadaan itu membuatkannya rindu akan kemesraan dan pergaulan rapat yang menjadi kebiasaan di Kelantan. Namun, satu pengalaman manis berlaku apabila beliau bertemu seorang peniaga Kelantan di sana. Hanya kerana loghat yang sama, mereka terus berasa rapat. Peniaga itu turut berkongsi rezeki dengannya kuih onde-onde pada bulan Ramadan sebagai tanda ukhuwah. Katanya, walaupun tidak saling mengenali, persamaan loghat sahaja sudah cukup menyatukan mereka. Beliau menjelaskan bahawa keputusannya kembali ke Kelantan bukan kerana beliau tidak mampu hidup di negeri luar, tetapi kerana kebiasaan, suasana dan budaya di sana membuatkannya lebih selesa untuk pulang dan meneruskan kehidupan di negeri sendiri. #kelantan #culture #kotabharu #kelantanfoodie #MakanLokal ♬ original sound - Makan Sedap KL

 Active on TikTok for the past two years, Thanaletchumi was surprised to learn that nearly 90 per cent of her Malay followers were from Kelantan and other states. Many were drawn to her natural way of highlighting unity through everyday moments, such as attending Malay cultural events while conversing fluently in the Kelantan dialect.

“The comments really touched me. Some said I could be an icon or ambassador for unity and encouraged me to create more videos,” she said. “I felt proud and moved knowing that people see me as someone who can bring different races, ethnicities and religions together.”

Her positive influence has not gone unnoticed. Thanaletchumi was recently honoured with the trust of the Kelantan state government, having been appointed as a community representative without a specific district, as well as one of the state’s cyber agents for unity.

Through this role, she hopes to use her social media presence to introduce the Kelantan dialect and culture to a wider audience across the country. She also hopes to collaborate with more parties to further promote unity and celebrate the cultural richness of her home state.

To her surprise, the impact of her content has extended beyond the screen. She shared that more people now recognise her in public, including young Kelantanese and Malaysians living abroad, a sign that her message is reaching its audience.

As long as she continues to be accepted, Thanaletchumi is determined to remain active on TikTok and explore a wider range of content. While unity remains at the heart of her message, she also has a strong passion for cooking and food reviews, particularly traditional Kelantan dishes.

“These videos are like an interlude, but they still carry the spirit of unity,” she said. “Thank you to everyone who has supported me. I never imagined it would grow to this level. I started with just 20 followers, and now there are more than 40,000.”

Beyond social media, Thanaletchumi has also made appearances in the film Daddy Ku Gangster and the telemovie Mahligai Belum Terbakar. Yet, it is her authentic voice, delivered in the warm tones of the Kelantan dialect, that has made her a symbol of unity and cultural pride in today’s digital space.

Source / Image Credit : Harian Metro , kelantandaily.com makansedap.kl