Taiping, Perak

Taiping (太平) is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. With a population of 191,104 (in 2007),^[1] it is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping took over Kuala Kangsar's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh.^[2] Its development slowed down after that, but in recent years the town has begun developing rapidly again.

Taiping also receives some limelight for being the wettest town in Peninsular Malaysia. The average annual rainfall is about 4,000mm in Taiping while the peninsula's average is 2,000mm – 2,500mm. Its unusual rainfall has also led to a fertile collection of flora and century-old rain trees in the Taiping Lake Gardens.

History

The area developed quickly in the 19th century when tin was discovered. The mines attracted large numbers of settlers, particularly Chinese. Feuds began between the different groups of Chinese immigrants and became so bitter that in the early 1870s, the British intervened and assumed control of the town.^[3] Taiping was the capital for the districts of Larut, Matang and Selama in Perak. Before 1937, Taiping was the capital of the state of Perak and the center of a long and drawn out war resulting in a change of rulership for the state. Taiping used to be known as Klian Pauh - Klian meaning mine while Pauh is a type of small mango. Before the arrival of the British, the district (known in its earlier days as The Larut Settlement) was governed by the Minister of Larut, Dato' Long Jaafar (and later by his son Ngah Ibrahim) who was empowered by the Sultan of Perak at that time, to govern that territory.

Long Jaafar has been historically credited with the discovery of tin in Larut in 1848. According to legend, Long Jaafar had an elephant named Larut and he used to take this elephant with him when journeying between Bukit Gantang and Lubok Merbau. One day the elephant went missing and when the elephant was eventually found three days later Long Jaafar noticed tin ore embedded in the mud that was on the elephant's legs. It is said that this was how Larut got its name. Eventually in 1850, Larut district was bestowed upon Long Jaafar by Raja Muda Ngah Ali and the Chiefs of Perak: the Temenggong, Panglima Bukit Gantang, Panglima Kinta, Syahbandar and Seri Adika Raja. Some time later, the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Abdullah, died in 1857 and a series of succession disputes ensued. Unhappy with the abuse and favoritism of various royalties, rival Malay camps took sides with one or the other of the two great Chinese secret societies present in there at the time.

Long Jaafar established and developed his administrative center at Bukit Gantang and made Kuala Sungai Limau at Trong the principal harbour of the Larut Settlement. In 1857 Long Jaafar was succeeded by his son Ngah Ibrahim. Sultan Jaffar Muazzam Shah presented an acknowledgement letter to Ngah Ibrahim on 24 May 1858. This letter was signed by Sultan Jaffar, Raja Muda Ngah Ali and the Raja Bendahara of Perak. In the time of Ngah Ibrahim the Chinese increased in number and by early 1860 two large groups were formed by the Chinese, the "Five Associations" whose members worked in the mines of Klian Pauh and the "Four Associations" whose members worked in the mines of Klian Baharu.

Mining rights were given to the Hakka "Five Associations" or Go-Kuan (五館 or 五群) and the Cantonese "Four Associations" or Si-Kuan (四館). Chung Keng Quee (鄭景貴) was leader of the Hakka Go-Kuan and the Hai San (海山) society that they belonged to, and began to operate his tin mines in Larut in 1860. Larut was destined to be plagued by four major wars between members of both the Cantonese Go-Kuan Ghee Hin Society (義興私會黨) and the Hakka Hai San society. Many Hakka had fled China when the Taiping Rebellion broke out there and found work in the mines of Chung Keng Quee establishing his position over the mining area in Larut as leader of the Hai San from 1860 to 1884.

The capital of Perak was moved from Bandar Baru (New Town) to Taiping after Datok Maharaja Lela assassinated the first British Resident of Perak Mr. James Wheeler Woodford Birch at Pasir Salak in 1875. In 1937, the capital of Perak was moved from Taiping to Ipoh.

The town's mining industry continued to thrive; the country's first railway was built to transport tin from Taiping to Port Weld (now known as Kuala Sepetang) at the coast for export. The first train in Malaysia took its schedule on June 1, 1885.

By 1900, an English language school, a newspaper, and the Perak Museum (the oldest in Malaysia) had been established.

Although Taiping's economy declined with the dwindling tin deposits, the metal still remains an important industry in the area as do rubber and rice.

40 "Firsts" of Taiping

Due to the booming tin-mining industry in the 19th century and its previous position as capital of Perak, Taiping was a pioneer in many fields, achieving many "firsts" in the country along the way. The list given by the Taiping Municipal Council records a total of 40 firsts in the country. From the earliest in 1844, these firsts are mostly either in monuments or events.

• Open tin mining activity in the peninsula (1844)
• Hill resort - Maxwell Hill (1844)
• Swimming pool - Coronation Swimming Pool (1870)
• Mosque - Masjid Tengku Menteri (1870)
• Rest house (1870)
• Artillery warehouse (1870)
• Magistrate's court (1874)
• Balai penghulu (1875)
• Resident's house (1877)
• Port - Port Weld (1877)
• English school - Central School Kamunting (1878)
• Police force (1879)
• Government offices (1879)
• Post and telegraph office (1880)
• Lake gardens - Taiping Lake Gardens (1880)
• Taiping General Hospital, private and government (1880)
• Club - New Club (1880)
• Club - Perak Club
• Railway station and warehouse (1881)
• Museum - Perak Museum (1883)
• Market building - Taiping Markets (1884)
• Prison - Taiping Gaol(1885)
• Railway track - from Port Weld to Taiping (1885)
• Turf club - Perak Turf Club (1886)
• Anglican church - All Saints Church, Taiping (1886)
• English girls' school - Treacher Methodist Girls' School (1889)
• Clock tower - Taiping Clock Tower (1890)
• Esplanade - Esplanade (1890)
• Malay newspaper - Seri Perak (June 1893)
• English newspaper - Perak Pioneer (July 4, 1894)
• Tamil newspaper - Perak Verthamani (1894)
• Armed Forces - Malay States Guides (1896)
• Teaching college - Maktab Perguruan Melayu
• Ceylon association (1899)
• Punjabi association - Khalsa Diwan Malaya Association (1903)
• Indian association (1906)
• Recreation park - Coronation Park (1920s)
• Airfield - Tekah Airport (1930)
• Golf Club (some claimed in Southeast Asia)
• Library - Perpustakaan Merdeka
• Fire brigade
• Firefly Festival (24 July 2011)

Geography

Taiping is situated on a plain to the west of the Bintang Mountains. Alor Star, Kedah lies to the north-west and Ipoh to the south-east.

Town layout

The following towns, suburbs, and neighborhoods comprise the area formally (and collectively) known as Taiping:

• Kamunting
• Aulong
• Pokok Assam
• Air Kuning
• Changkat Jering
• Simpang
• Kampung Jelutong
• Kampung Cheh
• Kampung Pauh
• Kampung Dew
• Changkat Ibol
• Bukit Gantang
• Rancangan Perkampungan tersusun Kpg Ulu Tupai
• Tupai Industrial Area
• Green House Area
• Assam Kumbang
• Bukit Jana
• Kampung Boyan
• Larut Tin
• Klian Pauh
• Taiping Heights
• Ayer Putih
• Kampung Pinang
• Matang
• Kuala Sepetang
• Kampung Senduk Tengah

Healthcare

The main healthcare centres in Taiping are:

• Taiping Hospital - Jalan Taming Sari, Taiping
• Selama General Hospital- Selama, LMS
• Taiping General Clinic - Jalan Tupai, Taiping
• Taiping Medical Centre (TMC) - Medan Taiping, Taiping
• Apollo Medical Centre - Jalan Taming Sari, Taiping
• Columbia Asia Hospital - Taiping, Jalan Istana Larut
• Pokok Assam Community Clinic- Pokok Assam, Taiping
• Kamunting Community Clinic- Kamunting, Perak
• Changkat Jering General Clinic- Changkat Jering, Taiping
• Port Weld Community Clinic- Kuala Sepetang, Taiping
• Larut Medical Centre- Medan Taiping

Tourism

Places of interest

• The Taiping Lake Gardens were donated by Chung Keng Quee's son, Chung Thye Phin. Its serene, tranquil and peaceful man-made lakes were former tin mines.
• Bukit Larut (formerly known as Maxwell Hill) is a hill resort. Currently, tourists can reach the top by 4WD vehicles, or by hiking. There are stops at the end of the road with gas available for hikers to cook and eat there.
• Perak State Museum is the first museum in Malaysia.
• Kwan-Tung Hui-Kuan (Cantonese Association), founded in 1887 by Chung Keng Quee and others.
• Taiping Zoo & Night Safari
• Esplanade - for sports activities
• Taiping War Cemetery
• British Resident's Residence (1877)
• Kapitan Chung Keng Quee's Townhouse on Barrack Road. It is now an antique shop.
• Bukit Jana Country Golf Resort, Kamunting
• Bukit Merah Laketown Resort
• Burmese Pool. It has a natural water slide.
• Tupai River(Sg Tugoh). Man made swimming pool using river water at the nearby Chinese Tiger Temple.
• Austin Pool. There is a very deep, square granite pool with a waterfall flowing into it.
• Taman Suria streams. Cool streams flowing down from Bukit Larut.
• Buddhist Retreat in Tupai Cemetery. Travelling to this retreat requires semi 4-wheel drive vehicles but the view from retreat is spectacular and peaceful.
• Gurdwara Sahib Taiping (Sikh Temple) - One of the oldest in Malaysia
• Chinese cemetery at Tupai Hokkien Tiong - Has a huge grave for the Chinese who lost their lives during the Japanese invasion
• Coronation Swimming Pool. Located at the foothill of Bukit Larut, the pool uses very cold mountain stream water, even on hot days.
• Taiping Public Library has numerous old and new book collections and is located near the Taiping Lake Gardens.
• Taiping Airport holds monthly (sometimes twice a month) parachute jumping programmes organised by Parachuters Club.
• Stadium Sultan Yusuf - An important venue for the Taiping football league.
• Hot water well (Air Panas) - Batu 9 off Jalan Trong (near Changkat Jering)
• Kuala Sepetang Wildlife Sanctuary
• Kota Ngah Ibrahim - in Matang
• Ng Boo Bee fountain - Jalan Air Terjun
• British War Cemetery, near Burmese pool.
• Downtown Walk, Jalan Berek (Tuesday until Sunday / 8:00 pm – 3:00 am)
• Kampung Dew Fireflies Eco Tourism & Kampung Dew Charcoal Eco Challenge

Hotels and Accommodations

• Taiping Resort, Bukit Jana
• Flemington Hotel
• http://www.legendinn.com/ Legend Inn
• SSL Traders Hotel
• Panorama Hotel
• Meridien Hotel
• Sri Malaysia Hotel
• http://newchampagnehotel.com/ New Champagne
• Larut Hill
• KamaLodge Chalet
• West Inn Taiping

Shopping

• Taiping Sentral Mall (http://www.taipingsentralmall.com)
• Giant Hypermarket
• Tesco Hypermarket
  
• The Store, Wisma Dato` Toh Eng Hoe
• The Store, Jalan Kamunting
• Big Seed Supermarket
• Pasaraya Econsave, Kamunting
• Taiping mall

Cinema

• Big Cinemas Taiping Sentral ( 7 screens ) http://www.bigcinemas.com/my/

Bowling Centre

• Winners Bowl Taiping, Paras 6 Plaza perbandaran, ( 24 Lanes, 9 or 10 Pins )

Planned New Developments

• Cable Car for Maxwell Hill / Bukit Larut
• West Coast Expressway(Taiping-Banting)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Expressway

Popular Places To Eat

• 快乐(煮炒) - Aulong Pasar
• 金龙(TiamXim) - Jalan Kota
• 有利(ChickenChop)
• 金边(Night)- Jalan Pasar
• 家家 - Jalan Pasar
• 初记太湖 - Lake garden
• Irene(水果&糖水) - Jalan Pasar(Must Try)
• TheGate - Near 小贩中心
• Washabi Sushi - Jalan Kota
• La Promise Cafe
• A Rahman - Jalan Pasar
• Medan Selera Prima
• Medan Selera Taman Tasik
• Kopitiam - Jalan Tupai
• Doli - Jalan Tupai
• Taiping Hawker Centre - Jalan Tupai
• Casual Market - Jalan Panggung Wayang
• Mee Udang - Kuala Sepetang
• Terminal - Near CIMB
• Pizza Hut
• Yut Sun - Jalan Pasar
• Plaza Perbandaran - Tingkat 2
• Medan selera - Jalan Simpang
• KFC - Jalan Kota (24 hours), Giant, Tesco, Kamunting Raya, The Store Kamunting
• Char Kuey Tiow- Larut Matang hawker centre
• Kedai Kopi Lian Thong - Jalan Kota
• Kum Loong Restaurant (Delicious Dim Sum) - Jalan Kota
• McDonalds drive-thru Jalan Simpang (24hours), Taiping Lake Garden (Coming Soon)

TAIPING SENTRAL

• McDonalds (24 hours)
• Kenny Rogers Roasters
• Sushi King
• Starbucks
• Old Town White Coffee
• Pelita Nasi Kandar
• A&W
• Station 1

TESCO

• KFC
• Secret Recipe
• Food court

Night Markets

Education

Primary and secondary education in Taiping are provided by national-type schools and Chinese-medium schools. This is a list of schools in Taiping in alphabetical order. Currently, there are no significant institutions of higher learning in Taiping.

Primary schools

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Secondary schools

List of old and new road names in Taiping

This is a list of road names used under British rule and in more recent years (such as the 1960s and 1970s). The road names bear a number of similarities with other road names in Malaysia and in other former British territories. This list does not pretend to be a complete list of all such changes.

Other streets

Notable Taipingites

• Anwar Fazal - Born in Sungei Bayor (Selama) but resided in Taiping. Anwar is the founder and also Chairman of the Taiping Peace Initiative and various non-governmental organizations in Malaysia.

• Mike Ng Shu Wai - A national gymnastic athlete. He had won a second place in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, United Kingdom.

• Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, former President of MCA

• Archbishop Emeritus Gregory Yong Sooi Ngean, Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Singapore. On April 2, 1977, he was installed as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore. He was the second Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Singapore, which was formed in 1972 when the Archdiocese of Malacca-Singapore split and held the office until retiring on October 14, 2000.

• Goh Bean Sim - Vice Chairman MCA Sungai Petani, of Kedah Division. Legal Advisor to several associations and unions.

• Goh Chok Sam - was a Political Chairman MCA Perak.

• Datuk Ismail Khan Ibrahim Khan - the First Chief Justice of the High Courts in Borneo States, he was the Chief Judge for Negri Sembilan and Malacca, Awarded Distinguished Service Medal. He was also the first Malay to study law overseas and received the prestigious Queen's Scholarship.

• Tan Sri Dr. Lim Swee Aun, Former Health Minister in Malaysia.

• Manecksha Rustim - merchant and land proprietor, founder member MIC Taiping and President of the political party since 1967. Director of Election for Larut Selatan 1969 (Alliance), Member of Town Board, Justice of Peace (JP), Member Licensing Board. A road in Taiping was named after him: Jalan Manecksha (formerly Cross Street No.3).

• Dato’ Ng Tieh Chuan is one of Malaysia’s leading personalities who has contributed significantly to the book industry. He is the CEO of the MPH Group of companies in Malaysia. MPH is the largest vertically integrated Malaysian entity in the book industry with its history dating back to more than 100 years. He was the Managing Director of Pelanduk Publications Malaysia & Asean Academic Press Limited, London. He possesses more than 30 years of experience in the Malaysian book industry.

• Dr. Ng Kam Poh - Member of the Parliament 1965, Dr. Ng also the Deputy Minister of Finance in July 1965 later Minister of Health. He was the Minister of Welfare Services just before general elections in May 1969 when he lost his Parliamentary seat.

• Ong Chee Suan - Town Councilor of Taiping, 1965,and was Treasurer for MCA Central Welfare Council.

• Tan Sri Ong H. T. - recipient of a Queen Scholarship in 1931 to study Law in London, he was Federal Counsel in Kuala Lumpur, and later posted as the Chief Federal Judge of Malaya.

• Dr. Toh Chin Chye - He was the co-founder and the Chairman of the People's Action Party (PAP) and served as the Member of Parliament for Rochore since 1959, Deputy Prime Minister when Singapore attained independence in 1965, Minister for Science and Technology and Minister for Health, Singapore. He was also the Chairman of Singapore Polytechnic and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Singapore.

• Dato' Yeap Kee Aik - Graduated lawyer and was member of Malaysian Bar. He served the Home and Foreign Service, Malaysia. In 1967 he resigned from Government post as the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Labour.

• Alex Teoh Eng Kean - Author of "Old Taiping", which is an illustrated guide to the vibrant history of the ex-capital of Perak(Malaysia); and "The Might Of The Miniature Cannon: A Treasure of the Malay Archipelago and Borneo". He is currently a trained paper and book conservator helping private collectors and institutions to conserve and restore rare manuscripts, precious documents, collectible prints, antique maps, antiquarian books and works of art on paper.

Image gallery

References

1. ^ Senarai Mukim dan Statistik Penduduk
2. ^ Malaysian States http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Malay_states.htm
3. ^ See pages 86-88, Chapter 8 Malaysian Confrontations, Send A Gunboat: The Victorian Navy and Supremacy at Sea, 1854-1904, by Antony Preston & John Major, Conway, an imprint of Anova Books Ltd, London, UK, 2007 Revised Edition, ISBN 13: 9-780851-779232
4. ^ named after Lady Treacher, wife of William Hood Treacher

Articles

• Kg Dew Fireflies: Twinkle-twinkle Little Bugs, Travel Times, New Straits Times, 10 August 2011
• Travel Times 2, New Straits Times, 5 September 2001
• THE KAPITAN SYSTEM - XI Sunday Gazette, June 19, 1960, By Wu Liu (pen name of Mr. C. S. Wong)
• A gallery of Chinese kapitans. by Mr. C. S. Wong; Published in Singapore: Ministry of Culture, 1963. 114p. [DS596 Won]
• Twentieth Century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources, by Arnold Wright, Published 1908 - Page 130, 203, 252, 262, 508, 509, 568
• "Record of Meritous Deeds of the Chung Family", op. cit., pp. 9–12
• "Miscellaneous Chronicles of Penang", Kuang, Kuo-hsiang op. cit., pp. 112–113
• "The Case of the Chinese in Penang", 1890s-1910s ; SHINOZAKI Kaori, Ph.D. student
• "200 years of the Hakkas in Penang" (檳城客家兩百年) By the Federation of Hakka Associations of Malaysia
• "Reveal the True Face of Secret Societies" (揭開私會黨真面目) Written by Guo Rende (郭仁德) Published by the Malaysian Chinese Cultural Center
• "The Luxuriant Tree" and "Chung Keng Kwee, the Hakka Kapitan" by CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
• "Heritage Road named in honour of Chung Thye Phin" by Sita Ram, Stories Of Yesteryear, The Ipoh Echo 16–31 March 2006
• "Honoured in Penang for his generosity" [on philanthropist Chung Keng Kwee,]. The Star, December 6, 2001 by Catherine Chong
• "66 Usahawan Malaysia (66 Malaysian Entrepreneurs)" by Ashadi Zain, ISBN :-X Cerita 50 Mendiang Chung Keng Kwee
• "Producer hopes to make movie on Kapitan Cina of Perak" By CHOONG KWEE KIM, THE STAR
• "A History of Malaya" by R.O. Winstedt Published in March 1935
• "The Chinese in Malaya" by Victor Purcell C.M.C. Ph.D published in 1948
• "Kapitan’s great-grandson" By CHOONG KWEE KIM, The Star Thursday September 9, 2004
• http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/9/6/north/18796585&sec=north

Departments

• Larut Land Office
• Perak State Government Website
• Perak Tourist Information Centre, Ipoh City Council
• Taiping Town Council

External links

• Article on Taiping by the Star
• News on Taiping and surrounding areas
• WikiTravel
• Travel to Taiping, Bandar Warisan
• Hainanese Food @ Yut Sun Restaurant, Taiping