BERUAS

BERUAS

I never really been to Beruas, except for once with the Perak Heritage Society members, in March 24, 2005.

Beruas is a small town in Manjung District, Perak, Malaysia.

In ancient times, before the area was known as Perak, there was a Hindu Malay Kingdom named Gangga Negara with its capital in Beruas.

BERUAS MUSEUM

Gangga Negara is mentioned in the Malay Annals and the kingdom covers Beruas, Dinding and Manjung in Perak.

The Kingdom is believed to have been founded by Raja Ganjil Sarjuna of Kedah or the Khemer Royalty around the second century. The Kingdom collapsed after an attack by King Rajendra Chola 1, of the southern Indian Chola Empire in 1025.

Beruas Museum displayed a large number of artefacts dating back to the 5^th and 6^th centuries found here.  It is located in the town center, is open to public with free entrance.

TELUK INTAN

TELUK INTAN

I barely visit Teluk Intan unless to cover stories for the newspaper.

Teluk Intan is a town in Hilir Perak District, Malaysia.

It is the district capital and largest town in Hilir Perak District and third largest town in the state of Perak.

In the early days, the town was known as Teluk Mak Intan, after a female Mandailing trader. It was here that the Perak rulers held court from 1528 until Kuala Kangsar became the royal town in 1877.

During the British protectorate era, the name was changed to Teluk Anson (Anson Bay) – in honour of a British Officer-  Major General Sir Archibald Edward Anson who drew the plant of the township in 1882.

TELUK INTAN LEANING TOWER

In 1982, during the centenary of the town's establishment, the name was changed again to Teluk Intan (Diamond Bay) by the Sultan of Perak.

The Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan is one of the town attractions. The tower was erected in 1885 by a Chinese builder Leong Choon Cheong. It started to tilt four years after its construction finished due to an underground stream. The tower was originally used as a water tower supplying the area of the town. It had a cock at the top, which still rings every 15 minutes. The tower also served as a eacon to guide ships into Teluk Intan Port.

The town has a number of colonial buildings and Chinese shop houses together with modern buildings, shopping complexes and a cinema.

PAPAN

PAPAN

My visit to Papan, if I can recalled is only 'twice', mainly for covering travel stories, here.

Papan town was once a bustling town in the late 1800s.

Today, it has become a sleepy hollow. Many of the old buildings have been abandoned and are slowly taken over by wild vegetation. There is very little economic activity and investment here, and younger generation have moved to town.

It is believed the Chinese had named it “ka-pan” which means wooden plank. In the past, the cengal hardwood harvested from neighbouring jungles, were brought to Papan to be sawn into planks.

Papan is located 17 km from Ipoh, off the Ipoh Lumut highway.

RAJA BILLAH MANSION

There are three main tourism attractions here – Sybil Kathigasu Museum and Raja Billah Palace and the Papan Mosque.

Sybil Kathigasu Museum is located at 74 Main Road, a prominent landmark which once housed the clinic of Sybil, the Malayan – Eurasian nurse who worked with her doctor husband to support the resistance during the Japanese Occupation.

The Raja Billah Palace is the stately mansion was also the town's largest building in its heyday. The mansion belonged to Raja Billlah, a Mendailing nobleman from West Sumatera who settled in Papan with his family in the late 1800s. A merchant and tin miner, Raja Billah was also the headman for Papan at that time. The palace was also selected as a location for filming of the movice Anna and the King. However, it was neglected in recent years, turning the mansion into a redundant site – where parts of the wooden panelings and tiles have been stolen or vandalised.

Nearby, there is the Papan Mosque which was completed in 1888, the mosque sits on land donated by Raja Billah. The structure is made of local hardwood such as cengal, merbau and damar laut. It was designed with one pyramid shaped zinc sheet roof sitting on top of another, separated by air vents.

TANJUNG TUALANG

TANJUNG TUALANG

It is obvious that every trip I made to Tanjung Tualang is plainly meant for eating – seafood is plentiful here, especially freshwater prawns.

Over the years, many seafood restaurants started mushrooming in Tanjung Tualang due to the demand for seafood dishes.

A MINI TIN DREDGE AT PRAWN VILLAGE

Tanjung Tualang is also known for its freshwater prawns hence giving Tanjung Tualang its nickname “Fresh Water Prawn Town”.

Tanjung Tualang is a mukim in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia.

SEAFOOD SERVED IN PRAWN VILLAGE

It was originally one of the major tin mining towns in Malaysia around early 1900.

STEAMED FISH

Tanjung Tualang obtained its name from a type of tree called Tualang and later a major tin mining company named Toh Allang Chinese Tin Ltd. A number of multinational amalgamated and tn mining companies operated in the mining area in T Tualang in the mid 1900. In 1970 – there were around 5 (type 1) large tin dredging machines (Kapal Korek) – which is the biggest tin dredgers in the world.

TANJUNG TUALANG TIN DREDGE

 Visitors can also visit the 'one and only' tin dredge left behind, in Tanjung Tualang. 

STEAMED FRESH WATER PRAWNS

Today, these old mining areas have either been converted into freshwater ponds breeding freshwater prawn, and fish or turned into palm oil estates.

 

CLEARWATER SANCTUARY GOLF RESORT, BATU GAJAH

CLEARWATER SANCTUARY GOLF RESORT

I have been a regular at Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort as I was invited to write on the resort's ongoing activities, every now and then.

I have stayed here occasionally on Media Nite, and get to know the enclosed nature resort. It is very quiet at night, and the only noise I can hear comes from the existences of wild life, here.

MY FISHING EXPEDITION IN CLEARWATER SANCTUARY

Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort is a former tin mining site, encloses over 1000 acres comprising of forest, jungle, lakes and golf courses.

Wildlife is a prominent feature at Clearwater Sanctuary – monitor lizards, monkeys, birds and otter can be seen on this area.

MEDIA NITE AT CLEARWATER SANCTUARY GOLF RESORT

Clearwater Sanctuary has a demanding a challenging course – this 27-hold golf resort has an idyllic backdrop of several large, lily-fringed lakes and is rank as one of Asia's best golf courses.

Besides, golf, other facilities include a driving range, tropical fishing, nature walks, watching, pro shop, restaurant and 30 chalets.

TAMBUN

TAMBUN

Tambun is just 10 minutes drive from Ipoh City.

It is also called the Pomelo Town - where I can purchase pomelo for CNY.

Tambun is a major town in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. 

JUICY POMELO FOUND IN TAMBUN

 

Tambun is notable for its pomelo produce, which is sought after by locals and tourists. Many planters were Hakka from Southern China. The fruit was originally brought in from S China together with the traveling Chinese as a good source of Vitamin C, on ship journeys. The plant adapted well to Tambun-Ampang-Piah region's dark and ferrous soil conditions.

A visitor is encouraged to make a visit to the any of the numbers of Pomelo farms, located in Tambun.

There is a Chinese pomelo farm which promotes home stay experience within an orchard.

In addition, there is another Punjabi Home stay where one can view how original cow milk is produced, located here.

Apart from pomelo farms, there is also a world famous Tibetan Temple, located deep into the orchard in Tambun.

KUALA KANGSAR

The Royal Town of Kuala Kangsar

Walking down the Royal Town of Kuala Kangsar brings back good memories of ‘past’ livelihood of the Sultanate of Perak Darul Ridzuan and His subjects.

The more than 150-year-old town definitely has a story to tell, from her rich historical background to the existence of the present heritage buildings and memorial graves, and the unique living heritage (arts & crafts) which are still showcased by locals, here. 

UBUDIAH MOSQUE

My first impression of Kuala Kangsar is that it is a beautifully preserved old town worth exploring, and if one wants to know more about Perak, do make a visit to this quaint town.

WELCOME ARCH

An aura of ‘royal’ presence surrounds this Bandar Di-Raja, where palaces are prominent here, and the royal colour ‘yellow’ is significantly used on signs leading to the palace, located at Bukit Chandan.

The royal town, is home to a string of Perak’s best landmark namely Ubudiah Mosque, Istana Iskandariah (official palace of the Sultan), Istana Kenangan (Memorial Palace), Clifford School and The Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK).

MEDIA MEMBERS VISITING AZLAN SHAH GALLERY

As a word of recommendation, Kuala Kangsar is a ‘must see’ town if tourists are visiting the silver state for the first time.

It is advisable to get a map before embarking on a two hour walking expedition covering about 8.5km heritage trail around the town.

It is also best to cover the royal town by ‘walking’ or ‘cycling’ through some 23 heritage sites which runs from the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) located at Jalan Tun Razak to the Clifford School that ends at Jalan Bendahara.

AZLAN SHAH GALLERY

On the other hand, one can also select to do an adventurous tour including cruising along the Perak River crossing the Iskandar Bridge and the Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah Bridge.

Alternatively, one can drop-by a small village about 9km away from Kuala Kangsar to walk through one of the oldest railway bridges in the country named as Victoria Bridge (Enggor Bridge), in Karai.

HISTORY

There are two version on how Kuala Kangsar derived her name - firstly it is believed its name was taken from the kangsar tree (Hibiscus florcussus), and another claims that the name by was given by settlers who called it “Kuala Kurang Seratus” (one short of a hundred) because there were 99 tributaries that flowed into the Perak River in the area.

THE ROYAL PORTRAIT (SULTAN OF PERAK)

Apart from early settlers, the Perak Sultanate had made comfortable homes along the Perak River since Sultan Muzafar’s reign in the 1740s. The first Royal Palace named Istana Sri Sayong resided by Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Mudzaffar Shah (1877-1887), located at a bend next to Perak River.

Kuala Kangsar is also the site where the first Conference of Rulers called the Durbar was held in 1897, where rulers meet to discuss matters on religion, customs and subjects, held at Istana Negara.

HERITAGE TRAIL

Interestingly, The Malay College Kuala Kangsar’s students had recently produced a “Kuala Kangsar Heritage Trail Map” supported by the State Government, for the convenience of tourists visiting the Royal Town.

The royal town is divided into two section mainly the heritage site and the town centre, with the Clock Tower as the landmark of the dividing point.

The first trail will start off with MCKK followed with Iskandar Polo Pavillion, Ridzwaniah Mosque, The Oldest Rubber Tree, District and Land Office, Idris Club, Post Office and the Clock Tower, that runs along Jalan Tun Razak-Jalan Chulan-Jalan Taiping.

IMPRESSIVE CLOCK TOWER

The next trail covers the Bukit Chandan areas including Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery, Royal Mausoleum (Makam Diraja), Ubudiah Mosque, Idrisiah Islamic School, Iskandariah Palace, Istana Kenangan (Memorial Palace) and Sir Hugh Low’s Residency.

ANGLICAN CHURCH

The third trail, is the so-called ‘new town’ of Kuala Kangsar reflecting the busy commercial lifestyle of the people where old buildings are found - namely Kedai Tinggi, Yat Lai Restaurant and Tsung Wah Primary School.

The final trail, will bring you to the Anglican Church, Clifford School, First Hospital, Gurdwara temple and the Palace of the Raja Bendahara, located at Jalan Bendahara.

MALAY COLLEGE OF KUALA KANGSAR (MCKK)

MCKK, is established in 1905, was the first residential school in the country. It was built on a 12 ha of land donated by Sultan Idris Murshidul Adzam Sham. It was to provide education for the Malay elite and princes of Malay royal families. As a premier school, it is dubbed as the Eton of the East. The school has been the alma mater of Rulers, Prime Ministers and leaders including Umno founder Datuk Onn Jaffar, second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and the present Minister of Tourism and culture Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

CLIFFORD

Another well-known school is the Clifford, which is one of the oldest school in Malaysia, built in 1897.

OLDEST RUBBER TREE

Here, one can also find the country’s oldest rubber tree still breathing at the intersection of Jalan Raja Chulan and Jalan Tun Abdul Razak. It was planted in 1877, and was one of the earliest generations from the first 11 seeds brought in from Brazil.

UBUDIAH MOSQUE

A notable sight is the majestic Ubudiah Mosque built at the command of Sultan Idris Murshidul Adzam Shah in 1913. The word ‘Ubudiah’ means ‘devotion to the Almighty God’. The mosque has an influence of Moorish architecture in its design, adorned with golden onion-shaped domes and black-and-white marble minarets. It is one of the most beautiful mosques in the country standing proudly atop of Bukit Chandan.

MEMORIAL MOSQUE

One unusual palace is the Istana Kenangan (Memorial Palace) built in 1926 under the command of Sultan Iskandar Shah. Its construction included 60 poles of 42 metres long and other wooden materials. This mosque was built without any nails. Sultan Iskandar Shah occupied this palace from 1931, until he moved to Istana Iskandariah in 1933. Today, Istana Kenangan is turned into the Muzium DiRaja (Royal Museum).

Ridzwaniah Mosque

Another popular palace is none other that Iskandariah Palace, an official palace for the reigning Sultan. The construction of the palace was finished in 1933 and named after Sultan Iskandar Shah (1918-1938). The design of palace is based on Indian-Islamic design, ‘Saracenic’ such as pointed arch and onion shapes dome.

LIVING HERITAGE

The royal town is popular for its art and crafts and cottage industry.

Among the living crafts are - the making of Labu Sayong (earthenware pitcher), Tekatan (raised embroidery), keris (Malay daggers) and Mariwasa (silver works). 

MAKING OF MALAY DAGGERS

 

TYPES OF DAGGERS

Visitors are invited to watch ‘live’ demonstration of the making of arts and crafts, and they can also have a hands-on ‘how’ to make these items.

SILVER THREAD SEWING

TEKATAN

LABU SAYONG

 FOOD

Authentic food is plentiful and one should stop-over to enjoy the variety of food ranging from laksa Kuala to popiah basah (spring rolls), cendol (dessert), Pasembor (Indian rojak) and pau (steamed bun), situated at Dataran Lembah (next to the Perak River).

BEEF STEAK

PASEMBUR

LAKSA, CURRY MEE, CENDUL