Muzium Taiping: The History Within Perak

The objective behind the setting up of the museum is to establish a repository of the rich cultural heritage of Malaysia. The Muzium Perak (Perak Museum) is the oldest museum in the Peninsula. The building was completed in 1886, and subsequent additions were made in 1900. In the early days, the pioneers of museum work in what was then Malaya gave greater emphasis to the natural sciences, especially flora and fauna that had economic significance. It was only much later that the museum began to document the material culture and the life of the peoples of Malaysia.

There are three collections - anthropology, zoology and local history - with a total of over 3,000 artifacts. The anthropological collections include different types of weapons, implements of husbandry, ornaments, dresses, household articles for daily use, musical instruments, symbols and requisites of religions, marriage and death ceremonies collected since the opening of the museum.

There are four galleries. Exhibits are mostly displayed in showcases. Photographs and charts are also utilised. Temporary exhibitions on various subjects are held periodically.

The picture is taken from http://www.daftarwarisan.gov.my.

The article is taken from http://www.perak.info/Larut_Matang_Selama/Perak_Museum_Taiping.htm.

Burmese Pool: The Popular Waterfall of Taiping

Many people visit this waterfall during the weekend. The water is so cold that usually I can stand around 30 minutes only.. Brrr... Burmese Pool is located just near Taman Sentosa, a housing area up the hill. It is the most famous waterfalls among few waterfalls in Taiping. The pools got it waters from the streams from the Bukit Larut hills.

Here is one of the video clip on the Burmese Pool.

The picture is taken from http://taipingheritagecult.blogspot.com.

Zoo Taiping: The Natural Habitat of Animal Kingdom

Taiping Zoo is special in its own way. It is located in a lovely natural setting in Taiping Lake Gardens close to the foot of the Larut Hill (Maxwell Hill). The beautiful natural setting with streams, lakes and abundance of flora gives the zoo a unique advantage of being able to use nature to its best.

'Taman Mergastua Sultan Idris Shah' or the Taiping Zoo, which is located at the Lake Gardens in Taiping, is the only Zoo in the North of Peninsular Malaysia. Covering an area of 34 acres, the Taiping Zoo has embarked on an expansion programme which includes the building of new "Open Concept" animal enclosures. These enclosures which take into consideration the natural habitat of the respective animal, has been favourably received by the public-both for its inherent beauty and thoughtful design.

Taiping Zoo is currently home to more than 180 species of animals totalling - 1,300 individuals. These include Tigers, Lions, Elephants, Hippopotamus, Giraffes, Hornbills, Orang Utans and others. Furthermore, attempts to breed these animals have been very successful. This has seen the proliferation of such animals like the Malaysian Tiger, Lion, Siamang, Deer, Nilgai, Night Heron and many others.

The picture above is taken from http://taipingtalk.com/.

The article is taken from http://www.zootaiping.gov.my.

Bukit Larut Taiping: The Cool & Breezely Hill

Bukit Larut is Malaysia's oldest hill station and founded in 1884. It's located just ten kilometres from quiet Taiping in Perak. Formerly it was called Maxwell Hill. Bukit Larut is approximately 1250m above sea level.It is located in the wettest part of the country, this hill station experiences the highest rainfall in the country. William Edward Maxwell (1846 -1897), after whom Maxwell Hill is named was a British Assistant Resident in Perak.

Bukit Larut is not nearly as developed as more celebrated hill resorts such as the Cameron or Genting Highlands. However, it preserves much more of the atmosphere of a colonial hill station, with modest, welcoming bungalows, carefully cultivated gardens, and a pervasive atmosphere of cool quietude.Reaching the top of the hill requires a four-wheel drive jeep. Since private vehicles are not allowed entry, the resort authority caters to this service.A land rover is available at the foot of the hill. It leaves every hour from 7am to 6pm. A 30 minute drive up the steep hairpin bends will bring you to the top. The narrow winding road was reportedly built shortly after World War II and was completed in 1948.

There are a few bungalows and a rest house available up the hill for renting... it costs around RM 38 for a room to about RM 400 for a bungalow per night. The hill resort is a marvellous place for those who treasure silence and peace, and those that like to seek a sanctuary above the clouds.

Bukit Larut is one of the vacation spot in Taiping. The hill is cool and got breezely wind up there.

The picture above is taken from http://taipingtalk.com/.

The article is taken from http://www.malaysiasite.nl/bukitlarut.htm.

Taman Tasik Taiping: A Beautiful Scenery & Peaceful Lake

Taman Tasik Taiping is a very peaceful and has a beautiful scenery. Visitors to this part of Perak will be glad to note that what was once a tin mine has now been turned to a beautiful park. As one of the many firsts in Taiping, the Taiping Lake Garden has been operational since 1880. It was built on an old mining land and today plays host to a variety of plants, flowers, trees, birds and a dazzling variety of insects. The old mining pool has become the crown jewel - the lake.
These 64 hectares of exuberant green turf, trees and plants portray the good sense of environmental rehabilitation and preservation. The clean and well-maintained Lake Garden encompasses a lake, a recreational park and a Japanese garden. Together with the nearby golf course and zoo, this whole area forms the green lung of Taiping.

The lake garden is the perfect place to escape from the petrol fumes and stress of city living, a haven to rejuvenate the spirits. The people of Taiping are very lucky for they have an ideal location for an evening stroll under the cool and shady trees. Mother Nature could not have provided better.

To get to Taiping from the North-South Expressway (PLUS), exit at Changkat Jering Interchange and take the Simpang route before turning right towards Taiping. The Taiping Lake Garden is easily accessible through Jalan Istana and Jalan Kelab Baru.


The picture above is taken from http://taipingtalk.com/.
The article is taken from http://www.virtualmalaysia.com/destination/taiping%20lake%20garden.html.

Penjara Taiping: The Oldest Prison in Malaysia

Penjara Taiping is one of the oldest prison in Malaysia. Taiping Prison, originally called The Perak Prison and better known as "Taiping Gaol", was established in 1879 and is the first and oldest modern prison complex in Malaysia. It was also the largest prison complex at the time. In 1881 Seikh warders were brought in to assist Malay warders and vocational trainers were brought in from Hong Kong to introduce useful industry in the prison. In 1882 there was an exercise to place prison inmates into categories. In 1889 a European warder was appointed.

With the establishment of the Federate Malay States, Taiping Prison became the detention centre for prisoners with long sentences from Perak, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor. In 1923 the system of "Visiting Justices" was introduced. Prison industry had been developed and included printing works, cloth production, sewing and rattan and ironworking. In 1924 stoneworking was halted and replaced with coconut dehusking. In WWII, during the Japanese occupation (1941-1945), Taiping Prison was used as a public prison and also a Japanese prisoner-of-war detention centre. It was during this period that all records about the prison and its inmates were destroyed.

The picture is taken from http://www.prison.gov.my/.
The article is taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiping_Prison.

The History of Taiping

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. Taiping was the town center for the districts of Larut, Matang and Selama in Perak. Before 1937, Taiping was the capital of the state of Perak and was the center of a long drawn out war resulting in a change of rulership for the state. Taiping used to be known as Klian Pauh - Klian means mine and Pauh is a type of small-sized mango. Before the arrival of the British, the district (known in its earlier days as the 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 is how Larut got its name. Eventually in 1850, Larut district was bestowed on Long Jaafar by Raja Muda Ngah Ali and the Chiefs of Perak, 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 Sultan 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 that place.

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 in 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 and the Cantonese "Four Associations" or Si-Kuan. Chung Keng Quee was leader of the Hakka Go-Kuan and the Hai San society 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 Ghee Hin Society that owned the Cantonese Go-Kuan and the Hakka Hai San society. Many Hakka 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 to take its schedule was 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.

Source: Taiping, Perak from Wikipedia.
Picture is taken from http://www.wayn.com/profiles/Taipingbreeze.

About Taiping, Perak in Malaysia

Taiping is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia, with a population of 191,104 (in 2007), and holds the rank as 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.

Its development has been slowed down after the replacement, 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.

Source: Taiping, Perak from Wikipedia.