Perak-Ipoh(intro)

IPOH

Early Beginnings

Legend goes, a long time ago when men were chivalrous and jungles were lush, an Admiral and his trusted men sailed from Sumatera traversing the Straits of Malacca into the Golden Kersonese. They scaled up the Kinta River, following their instincts and the liquid path the river offered. There was plenty of fish from the river to feed upon, and the jungle dwellers entertained these seafaring men with their forest calls, their melodious twitterings and barblings. Alas, the expedition had to end for the sailors had then reached a point where their vessel could no longer venture and the river would no longer allow them to navigate.

It was also a magical time where genies spoke, the orang kayangans (fairy-like beings) roamed and foresightedness of sorcerers revered. And so it was told a genie commanded that the district be named Kulop Kinta. And long after the expedition, where villages opened and communities flourished, the Admiral decided to make this his home, and he then assumed the royal post of Dato' Panglima Kinta.

"The Town that Tin Built"

Tin was transported in these to the smelting plant

It may very well be so, but curious enough Ipoh was never in the true sense a mining town.

It was marked in an English map, in 1880 as "Epu". And later in 1884, a French tin prospector described Ipoh as a Malay kampung. And not far from the truth it was. Ipoh was pioneered by the Malays who were attracted to the mining activities surrounding it. Back then, tin mining were very much in the hands of a Malay Chief, Dato' Panglima Kinta.

It was just its good fortune that Ipoh is located in the center of the tin mining area, the Kinta Valley. The lure of prosperity promised by prospecting tin was irresistible, tempting, almost seductive. And it was because of this that Ipoh saw a steady emigration of the Chinese. At first they came in small numbers, and by 1888 the Chinese population had swelled up to 38,000! From a mere frontier town, Ipoh became the center for tin collection and smelting.

All About Ipoh

The Orang Asli call it Upas, and use its sap to coat the tips of the darts of their blowpipes. Others call the tree Ipoh. And this was the name that the people had chosen to call the town. In those days, Ipoh trees were found everywhere, in abundance. And for this reason we should be alarmed if not ashamed, that there are only two of these trees left!! One is standing in front of the Ipoh Train Station, and the other can be found in Taman D.R. Seenivasagam.

The Kinta River basically runs through the middle of the town. In 1892, a great fire gutted the East part of Ipoh. The town had to be rebuild, looking all new and grand, and rightfully so, it became to be known as "New Town". The reconstruction of the New Town also made way to deliberate town planning. And this explains why buildings file along roads that are set into systematic grids.

Another curious fact about Ipoh is that, although it was a rich town, it was not the original administrative centre of Perak. Even more curious, it was not the British, but the Japanese that provided the turning point for Ipoh. During their occupation of Malaya in 1941, the Japanese Imperial Army transferred all administrative concerns from Batu Gajah and Taiping to Ipoh. Funny enough, the British actually endorsed this arrangement when they returned to power, and continued to retain Ipoh as Perak's administrative centre.

The Perak Museum

Let's begin our journey at a place which will reveal all you want to know about the history of (mostly) Ipoh. The Perak Museum was erected in 1926 by a rich and successful tin miner called Foo Choong Kit. Back then, he built it for his own private domain, and it was told that once forty people were counted to be living in this house. The house did not stay long with the family. In 1950 it was sold to the Perak Government which utilised these premises to house the administrative centre of its Department of Works. It was not until 1992 that this building finally graduated to become a museum.

Have a browse through the museum. You can begin your tour by learning about the early history of Perak. Here you will be introduced to the many characters that moulded the state. Get to know all the important who's who. Find out who Hugh Low was, and what Swettenham achieved, or whether Clarke made any difference in his policies. There are plenty of pictures of British administrators and rulers who played enormously significant role in the building of Perak and Malaya..

If you are interested in architecture and would like to tour the town later, there is a room which enlightens you with a pictorial guide of most of the important and beautiful colonial buildings in Perak. This may help you later to identify the various buildings in town.

The museum also displays other historical facets, and in particular tin mining and various other industrial and commercial activities that are of importance to Perak.

St Michael's School(Institution)

Perhaps the grandest and biggest of all the old colonial buildings in Ipoh is the St Michael's School. The St Michael's school was opened by a group of La Salle Brothers in 1912. Fitting to its name and the mission of its founders, St. Michael's was one of the more prestigious Christian missionary schools in Perak. And because appearance tells a lot about an institution, St Michael's architecture and façade are reminiscence of a true Christian masterpiece. The architecture is absolutely brilliant. You can't get enough from appreciating the carefully decorated gables and the lovely wide arched verandahs that run the entire length of the school. Right in front of it stretches the school green. If you're lucky, you may spot the school band marching up and down the field playing some musical score in their full regalia.

Even the Japanese army could not stay away from St Michael's. During the Japanese occupation, this army converted the school for its centre of administration for the state of Perak.

Town Hall

This is one of Ipoh's architectural wonders that boasts of neo-classical architecture, a design so popular in the early 1900s. The Town Hall exhibits a great marriage between renaissance and roman architectural features. Construction began in 1913, and was finally completed in 1917. Throughout the century, the Town Hall have seen many people from various backgrounds and expertise utilising, and walking up and down, its hallways. This building has also served as a Post Office, and was once the District Police headquarters in 1948.

The Padang

Padang is the Malay word for 'field', and this is exactly what it is - which is also exactly where pale British males marched into the field with their starched white cricket ensemble to hit a wicket or two, running every now and then out of the field to catch several gulps of the most refreshingly cool beer. At other times, the same men could also be seen kicking around this Padang attempting to score a few goals in a game of soccer.

Once plentiful , now found only scattered in old gardens and botanical gardens - remember these found as fillers for 'five stones' ?

Ipoh has left the Padang unscathed, together with the beautiful casuarina trees that has been encircling the field for almost a century now. Much time has passed, people had come and gone, and old generations have made way for the new. But, Ipoh realises that this does not necessarily mean that traditions need be forgotten. Today, we still see people running about the grounds; whitemen they are not, but happy locals spending quality time with their family members.

Royal Ipoh Club

And what's the use of a Padang without a Club? Planters, tin miners and administrators patronised this black and white Tudor style clubhouse. While the athletic ones trampled about under the scorching hot sun, the more stationary ones worked their lazy muscles trying hard to keep their cigars in between their fingers while downing their whisky.

FMS Bar and Restaurant

FMS stands for "Federated Malay States", which was basically created to lump all the Malay states which fall under British administration under one union. And Perak happened to be one of them. Although the building was built at the turn of the century, it was only in 1906 that they proclaimed it to be bar and restaurant. Both bar and restaurant (together with its antique décor) have managed to survive the ravages of time, and is believed to be Malaysia's oldest functioning Bar!!

Planters and merchants used to frequent the Bar. Located just opposite the Padang, our jovial sportsmen would quite happily mosey along to the FMS Bar after their match, or maybe for some, after their first round of drinks at the Royal Ipoh Club.

The FMS Bar and Restaurant remains to be quite popular; however, time has altered the culinary preferences here. This would certainly be quite an experience, and not at all out of character; even if you take into account that you're inhaling the savoury aroma of your Szechuan Prawns while slurping in your Belacan Kangkong, right under the shelter of this exceptionaly British institution.

Birch Memorial, The Clock Tower

Secluded and hidden it is. And for good reason of course. JWW Birch was an unpopular character who was appointed as Perak's First British Resident. He was arrogant and showed no sensitivity towards local customs, religion and nuances. He did not think much of the Malays. Likewise the feeling, too, was mutual amongst the Malays, especially the royalty. It wasn't surprising at all that he was eventually assassinated by the Malays, headed by a chieftain called Dato' Sago. Call it mere coincidence or downright contemptuous, Birch's memorial is strategically located directly opposite a mosque and cramped behind Jalan Dato' Sagor. Even after his death, he is still surrounded by scorn and derision from the Malays.

For whatever Birch was to the Malays, the British made him a hero. On all four sides of the monument, colourful murals depicting various 18th Century professions of men decorate it. There, they also erected a bronze bust of their Mr. Birch. And so, the Clock Tower is quite a fine monument; even now, despite the absence of the presence of the bronze sculpture of Birch (which someone had so nicely removed). Isn't this just telling! Nobody wanted him and they still don't want him here. Oh, poor Mr. Birch.

Ipoh Railway Station

Some call it the Taj Mahal of Ipoh! No doubt that it has nothing to do with employing South Indian labourers in its construction, but truly because of its majestical neo-classical architecture. Its magnificent domes and almost perfect arches are reminiscent of those found in a Moorish palace, a design much favoured by AB Hubback, the same man who designed the Train Station in Kuala Lumpur.

Built in the height of the tin mining industry, the station was an important feature for the colonials in transporting Kinta Valley's valuable mineral. Regrettably today, the station appears to be suffering a grim and humbling existence. The ground floor is now segmented, giving space to house massage parlours. Wires crisscross the section and signs bearing the word "URUT" spread wide above the crude crass cubicles. Every night a market sprouts within the compounds of the Train Station. Loud blaring music and the inconsiderate throttling sounds of motorbikes choke the now long gone serenity. And the landscaping….? "What about the landscape?", these people would probably indignantly throw back the question at you.

AB Hubback would weep to witness this inconsiderate demeanour. It is hard to imagine that this was once a place so important, a mark of architectural accomplishment and commercial supremacy. But then again, these are hardly people who would care to appreciate its architecture with awe and admiration, nor respect its historical significance to shaping Ipoh to what it is today. It makes no sense to them to have anything more than just a commercial attachment to the station. Trapped in their single self-seeking objective to make money, conserving this historical building bears no relevance at all to their prosperity or survival. For what is pride for one's own history if there is so much more to be gained now today for the material wealth of tomorrow?

Above the train station, on the second and third floors resides the Station Hotel, also known as The Majestic Hotel. Take the ancient lift up to the main lobby, and it will take you back in time. In the early 1900s, the hotel boasted off 'first class accommodation' and 'excellent cuisine'. A 200m long verandah runs the length of the building. During those days, planters planted themselves in rattan chairs, the smoke from their pipes whiffed away in clumps of tiny clouds trying to ascend all the way up to the high ceilings. Ceiling fans swirled rhythmically all day long to cool the consistently sweating masters. A cosy bar satisfied the liquid needs of its thirsty patrons..

But today the hotel is not looking quite all that chirpy and healthy. It bears a tired face and a physique that is rather run down. The walls suffer a degrading presence, stained by markings in the colour of soot. Its white paint is peeling off in flakes. Unlike the verandahs, the rooms are not crowned with the same high ceilings. Much of their ceiling space is seized to accommodate ventilation ducts and air-conditioning piping, sloppily hidden by cheap gypsum ceiling. And it is because of this too that when you enter the rooms, you are greeted by the smell of damp and must. Dream not of diving into a huge plush comfortable Victorian style bed, but instead pretend to be contented with the three beds that consume most of the space of the shoebox shaped room. Perfect for families who want to save on hotel rates. Disappointing for those dreaming of reliving the luxury of the "first class accommodation" of the early 1900s.

But this is the 21st century, cast away your dreamy imaginations of colonial splendour. Today the Hotel serves a better purpose (?) by providing clean rooms at attractively competitive rates. You can start your day with a hearty breakfast consisting of toast, fried eggs and sausages (the cost of which is already covered in the room rates). One huge plus point which plants a smile on your face is the contagious smiles of the hotel staff who are also ever so helpful.

So, it is not all that bad and it is quite a relief to see much of the façade still remains and fittings still in tact. The banisters and wooden stairs stand firm and proud in their original places, and the slow iron elevator makes the journey up to the third floor charmingly pleasant. So, when you storm along the verandah, stomping on those cool and carefully laid tiles, try and show a little more care and look down. For these are the same tiles on which, a long time ago, haughty Victorian ladies carefully and gracefully walked upon. Look up, and you will see that the fans are there still, together with the ornate iron engravings proudly wrapping their bases. Look beyond the verandah and out into the far horizons, you will see Ipoh and its rolling hills staring back at you with the same beseeching scrutiny they gave the colonials a hundred years ago.

Perak(3)-The Royal Town(Kuala Kangsar)

Kuala Kangsar

Istana Iskandariah, the royal palace where reigning head of state,Sultan Azlan Shah resides

Comfortably cradled in a crook of Perak River, Kuala Kangsar is a well preserved Royal Town where its serenity and its well-maintained old palaces are worth a mention.

This place must have had a strange effect on Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Mudzaffar Shah of Perak who ruled from 1877 to 1887. Unlike many rulers who protected their royal places and strongholds by selecting their vantage points carefully where they could detect enemy approach from afar, the Sultan had his first royal palace built beside the riverbank. He then named it 'Istana Sri Sayong'.Apart from being exposed to the impending threat of invasion, the other problem was the force of monsoon seasons, which led to numerous flooding as water gushed down from the jungles above through the many tributaries. The name Kuala Kangsar is believed to be derived from 'Kuala Karong-Sa', which means '99 small tributaries flowing into the Perak River'.

One flooding was so severe, it almost swept the palace away. Finally, after the Big Flood or Air Bah in 1926, it was decided to move the place further up onto the knoll where stands th

e current Royal Palace named Istana Iskandariah with its Art-Deco architecture, a rare but significant piece of architectural milestone in Malaysia.

Kuala Kangsar today has spread across the gentle undulating lands along the bank to accommodate the growing community but its core and historical part of town still sits quietly on the high grounds by the bend of the river. A familiar structure of a royal town, the royal palace is usually the centre of the town where subjects would later build their homes around, close to the palace. Presumably, many of the subjects that served the courts and the Sultan would have had to be nearby in any event for emergencies etc.

The Ubudiah Mosque

In the old part of Kuala Kangsar however, the roads are narrow and pleasant and great for a stroll as it winds round the grassy knoll. One of the more dominant architecture d

uring the colonial era in the area is the Ubudiah Mosque. Sultan Idris, (1887 - 1916) the ruler then and a close friend of the British resident, Sir Hugh Low, laid the foundation of the mosque in 1913. Unfortunately, the mosque's completion was delayed due to World War 1 and an incident that involved a couple of royal elephants who ran amok in the grounds, ruining the especially imported Italian marbled floor. Sultan Idris' successor, Sultan Abdul Jalil officiated this Moorish-styled mosque for it was only completed a year after his death. Beside the mosque is the royal mausoleum, the resting place of Perak rulers since the mid-18th century.

The Oldest Rubber Trees

You can see this rubber tree at the Kuala Kangsar's

District Office compound, east of the Pavilion Square Tower.In additions, this rubber tree is one of two of the oldest rubber trees in Peninsula that have survived the years. Sir Hugh Low, the British Resident of Perak of that time, encouraged the growth of rubber trees as the car industry expanded rapidly in the west. Soon jungles were converted into plantations, and many areas that were once virgin forests were open for commercial use. Hugh Low planted a number of rubber trees in his garden in Kuala Kangsar. Another old rubber tree from those experimental days stands by the district office in town at the intersection of Jalan Raja Chulan and Jalan Tun Abdul Razak. However, the trees don't look too well, perhaps having been hemmed in by the expansion of roads and tarring of the ground around it.

Istana Kenangan / Royal Museum

Very close by to Istana Iskandariah and farther eastis the Istana Kenangan. It was planned and built in 1926 after the great floods of 1926. Shaped like a sword, the entire palace was built without a blueprint and not a single nail was used. The walls are made of woven sliced bamboo, and patterned in diamond motifs called the 'kelarai'. The roof is in the shape of the 5 rid

ges of a traditional Malay house and the ridge of a row of bananas - known as 'perabung 5 and perabung pisang sesikat'. The palace was completed in 1931 and set up as a temporary residence for Sultan Iskandar Shah (1918 - 1938, the 30th Sultan of Perak) while the original royal palace or istana negara was being torn down for the new Istana Iskandariah. This beautiful building is full of character and features traditional Malay architecture, which fortunately, has become the Museum Di Raja, or Royal musuem. Displays focuses on the state's history and the Perak royal family.

Malay College

Another institution of significance, which has put Kuala Kangsar on the map, is the renowned 'Malay College'. Opened in 1905, Malay College was the training grounds for hundreds of boys from royal and aristocratic families. Sultan Idris who ruled from 1887 to 1916 took a keen interest in education and he was instrumental in the development of the college that provided boys with British public school education, preparing them with a career path in the Malay Admistrative Service. Not unlike schools like Eton and Harrow in England, these schools create strong bonding amongst the boys also known as the 'old boys' network' which continues way past graduation. For this, the college also acquired another name among the Malays - Bab ud-Darajat or the 'Gateway to high ranking'! The Malay College remains a centre of academic excellence.

The Pavilion Square Tower

Just across the road from the playing fields of the Malay College, sits the Pavilion Square Tower. Built in 1930, this small pavilion of 3 tiers was designed for the Royal families and dignitaries to watch polo matches nearby in comfort. However, the structure is not safe for public use.

Perak(2)-Kellie's Castle

Kellie's Castle

Screams from a newborn baby echoed through the corridors of a small farmhouse, one spring day in the year 1870. A healthy baby boy was born into the Easter Kellas estate to the Smith family and was christened William Smith. The golden years of the Victorian Era was at its peak. The British empire was secured spanning from the New World to India and into South East Asia.

William Smith grew up in a small farm close to Dallas on the Moray Firth in Scotland. As the Victoria era blossomed for a new class of elite, spearheaded by innovative technology and inventions - the working class were pushed harder into poverty and frustrations. Perhaps it was the drive to escape from the droll of intense poverty that sent William Smith to far off lands looking for chances.

Young William Smith who later called himself William Kellie Smith, (Kellie being his mother's maiden name) left his farm in Dallas in search of the rich life he dream. It is not known when Smith arrived in Malaya nor do we know why he chose to explore opportunities in Malaya. However, the young, amicable man of 6ft 3ins in height was accepted into the community with ease.

An old bridge suspended over the Kinta River where William Kellie Smith would have driven his many imported automobiles through into the driveway, and up to the house

In a small working community of planters, miners, Smith found business opportunities readily available. Having bounced around on a few successful and unsuccessful ventures, he finally had a great windfall working with a rubber planter named Alma Baker. Alma Baker had obtained a few government contracts to make roads in South Perak. William Smith snapped up his invitation to work together and made a huge profit from these projects. With the money, he purchased 900acres of land just south of Ipoh and cleared the jungle for his rubber plantation and homely estate. He named this estate, Kinta Kellas - Kellas in memory of his family farm back in Scotland and Kinta being the area of the large basin in where the estate is situated

The moorish styled building still stands not a bit scratched from the day it was left abandoned in 1926

With his empire falling into place as planned, William Kellie Smith formed a London-based company. He was then appointed manager of the estate and was paid a handsome salary by the London Board. Rubber being in demand in the early years , he made a fortune. Running in parallel with the demands of raw materials to fuel the new industrial boom, he further amassed more wealth as larger dividends were paid out to him by his London based company.

In 1909/1910 he built a Moorish styled manor for himself, his wife Agnes Smith and their first child, Helen Agnes. The manor sat on a little knoll just by the bend of the Kinta River(Sungai Kinta), commanding a clear, unobstructed view of the Kinta Valley. Its grounds were groomed into pockets of lush gardens, open spaces, lawns and a lake - added to complete the estate ambience. In Britain during the Victorian era, many young, rich, enterprising men took to buying old manor houses, castles and estates to accentuate their stature in the social circles and for a long period, such activities were well accepted.

Perhaps it was this influence, perhaps it was the birth of his son that niggled him into building a larger more stately home. Construction of the new manor began somewhere after the birth of his son Anthony in 1915. Not much of the first home is left today, apart from the covered walkway, an open courtyard and part of a crumbling wall. The 'new' section of the stately home was to be an extension to the existing home, hence there isn't a kitchen nor a servants' quarters to be found. Many estate homes in the early years were designed so that the servants' quarters, utility rooms and kitchens were housed in an annexe and connected only by a covered walkpath to ensure no disturbances.

This new wing was to take 10years to build. Smith had employed an Indian taskforce to work on the construction. However, in the early 1920's, an epidemic of 'Spanish Flu' broke out and many of his estate workers including those working on the construction died after a short period of illness. The heads of his workforce requested that they build a temple for the deity Mariamman to ask forgiveness and protection for the people living on the estate. Smith agreed and had all his people feverishly working on the temple which was completed in a short time. The temple was built some 1500m from Smith's home. Today, the local community still pays homage to their gods at the temple. A little statuette of Kellie Smith stands alongside the deities on the roof of the temple probably watching over his little estate and the descendants of those that have worked and looked after him in the years when he was Sahib of the Kinta Estate.

The open courtyard and the remains of the passageways indicates the foundations of the old wing. The Museum of Antiquities took on the project to refurbish parts of the Castle especially the old wing by replastering the walls and laying floor tiles.

After the completion of the temple, everything returned to its normal state of affairs and work was diverted back to the construction of the manor house. In 1926, together with his daughter, William Kellie Smith made a trip home to Britain.The reasons for his trip is unclear but it is believed that they were to return to England for a short reunion with his wife and son. It is believed that Anthony was sent home to continue his education and Agnes had accompanied him. Back in Europe,William Kellie Smith was believed to have made a detour trip to Lisbon, Portugal to collect a lift (elevator) which he had ordered for the manor. Unfortunately, Smith never made it back to Malaya. In December 1926, Smith succumbed to a bout of pneumonia and passed away in Lisbon. He was buried at the British Cemetery.Agnes sold her interest in the Kellas Estate and Smith's distrought family never returned to Malaya.

Anthony Kellie Smith was killed in World War II and Helen never returned.

Kellie's Castle Today

A company has taken over the management of the castle and has converted it into a tourist attraction. In June 2003, during a road widening exercise at the 6th Kilometer stretch of the Gopeng-Batu Gajah road, road construction workers accidentally unearthed a section of a tunnel which is believed to lead from the castle to the Hindu temple nearby. This 1.5km high by 1m wide passageway was discovered when an excavator broke through the timber structure. The Museum Department has not concluded if the tunnel is directly linked to the castle but are 'looking into it'.

The mysteries and folklore that shroud Kellie's Castle and its creators still remains. The beautiful part of an epic lovestory such as this, is that there isn't an answer to everything. It leaves a part for us to fantasise, a dream that never ends and an ending that is undefined....