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.