The Malay man is holding a durian, famously known as the 'king of fruits' in Southeast Asia. It is not surprising if this man had grown the fruit in his backyard as durian trees were not uncommon in kampongs during the early 20th century. The allure of the fruit is perhaps best summed up by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who in 1869 described eating durians as "a new sensation, worth a voyage to the East to experience".
