The Kapitan Cina Of Perak: A Showcase Of The Splendours Of British Malaya - PART 2

From 

The Rakyat Post, By Fernando Fong - Part 2

12 December 2021 

Why We Must Remember 

Taiping Heritage Society president Yeap Thean Eng said there’s more to history than knowing times and dates, and general facts surrounding a historical event.

The exploits of the Kapitan Cina, he said, are not only valuable for the nation’s history and heritage. 

"Their insights into the political contexts, the trading networks they established, and the partnertship they forged with the Malays, would help present generations to appreciate the nation’s racial diversity more thoroughly." 

Taiping Heritage Society president Yeap Thean Eng to TRP on the Kapitan Cina

Lillian Tong, president of the Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Pulau Pinang (left)and       Taiping Heritage Society president Yeap Thean Eng presenting the front cover of an upcoming book on Chung Keng Kwee. (Credit: Fernando Fong)

 

He said the stories of the Kapitan Cina will increase Malaysians’ cultural awareness and moral understanding of the world we live in.

 

Playing its part, the Taiping Heritage Society and Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Pulau Pinang conducted a three-day tour to mark the bicentennial of Keng Kwee and his Malay partner Ngah Ibrahim.

       

Ngah Ibrahim’s fort near Taiping still stands to this day. (Credit: Fernando Fong)

The celebration included a luncheon attended by Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa, Orang Besar Jajahan Larut Matang and Selama Wan Mohd Isa Wan Mohd Razali and Taiping MP Teh Kok Lim.

The Society also visited various historical sites in Taiping, where Keng Kwee first forged his fame and fortune together with Long Jaafar, Ngah Ibrahim’s father.

 

The Taiping Heritage Society and Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Pulau Pinang visit the official residence of Ngah Ibrahim in Taiping when he was the administrator

of the district of Larut. (Credit: Fernando Fong)

A book to mark Chung Keng Kwee’s bi-centennial celebration will also be published.

At the same time, a gala dinner attended by descendants of Keng Kwee and his Malay partner Ngah Ibrahim was held in Taiping.

Admittedly, much remains lost to the pages of history due to a lack of written accounts, especially concerning the everyday life of the common people from the era.

Yeap expressed hope that the void will spur the desire for informed citizenship and critical thinking, to research and to raise general awareness among the public.

"Gaining knowledge and understanding of historical events and trends, especially during the colonial period, allows us to develop a much greater appreciation for where we are today."

Taiping Heritage Society president Yeap Thean Eng to TRP on learning history and heritage

Keng Kwee’s fifth-generation descendants, Chung Lai Foong (left) and her sister Chung Lai Yin. 

(Credit: Fernando Fong)

 

The gala dinner to commemorate Keng Kwee and Ngah Ibrahim brought Malaysians together. (Credit: Fernando Fong)

The Kapitan Cina Of Perak: A Showcase Of The Splendours Of British Malaya - PART 1

 FROM THE RAKYAT POST (PART 1) - BY FERNANDO FONG

Today, there are few reminders of Malaya’s glorious 19th-century and pre-Merdeka past.

From the start of the British colonial era to pre-war Malaya, the tin-mining industry created untold wealth for the overseas Chinese to flaunt their wealth.

Rare and precious artifacts from the era can now be seen through a multifaceted lens at Phin Kee Chan, the former headquarters of Kapitan Cina Chung Thye Phin.

Thye Phin, who inherited the tin empire from his father – the famous Kapitan Cina Chung Keng Kwee – built Phin Kee Chan in Ipoh, and rightfully so.Once upon a time not too long ago, Ipoh was the center of one of the world’s biggest tin mining towns.

Completed in 1905, the three-story building survived the passages of time.

It became a dispensary in the 30s until the early 2000s when it was sold to a private owner.

In 2011, history and heritage enthusiast Michael Chan bought the place and renamed it Arlene House after his wife Arlene Loke.

Visitors admiring a fully-functioning wind-up gramophone at Arlene House.
(Credit: Fernando Fong)

A New Lease Of Life

After much labor of love, Arlene House is now a treasure trove of entertaining and informative exhibits.

Chan, together with his wife, returned Phin Kee Chan to its former glory with more than 10 years of preservation, conservation and restoration work.

Arlene House is setting an example in attracting younger audiences to museums.
(Credit: Fernando Fong)

With the theme ‘Made In Ipoh’, Arlene House takes visitors on a journey of history and heritage edutainment.

Arlene House has sections on the different era that marks the pre-Merdeka history while exploring artifacts thematically such as war and plunder, personal luxuries, trade and sensual pleasures.

Taiping Heritage Society members posing with classic mahjong set at Arlene House.
(Credit: Fernando Fong)

"Arlene House is a heritage, history, culture and art edutainment gallery cum museum that showcased the stories, life and legacy of the last Kapitan of Malaya and Ipoh."

Arlene House owner and curator, Michael Chan to TRP on the purpose of Arlene HouseChan took great pains to fill the place with wide-ranging items from the colonial days, such as a gramophone, Mandarin robe, gambling table, Baba Nyonya bed and more.

Chan (center) explaining the history of Malaya to visitors at Arlene House.
(Credit: Fernando Fong)

He also replicated the Kapitan’s working desk, complete with the office equipment of that era such as a vintage cheque writer, a marble sculpture tray and an abacus.
Arlene House also turns back the clock with old photographs, posters and illustrations.

At the same time, the place evokes the memories of youth with games and toys of yesteryear.

Where It All Started                                              

A staff curating the exhibits at Arlene House. (Credit: Fernando Fong)

                                                                                                             Chan said it was by chance that he came across the building sometime in 2010.

    "My wife and I knew its existence much earlier but did not really give it much thought. Neither did we notice its detailed built heritage until we admired it from afar. Its charming architectural designs and trademarks were unfolded when we scrutinized the facade carefully."

Arlene House owner and curator, Michael Chan to TRP on how Arlene House started

When he came up with the idea to turn the place into a museum, Chan was met with skepticism and ridicule.

The place was run down and required substantial money to give it the facelift it deserves.        

Keng Kwee’s son Thye Phin was so influential as a businessman, he even minted his own money. (Credit: Fernando Fong) 

                                                                                            

Family and friends advised him against the idea as they consider it to be financially risky.

But Chan, who worked as a corporate advisor previously, took the risk and decided to give it a go.

"We hope that history and heritage will connect with Malaysians of all ages and background because it shows that we all share a common origin, and the nation had come together because of the people."
Arlene House owner and curator, Michael Chan to TRP on the value of history and heritage

Among the challenge was deciding which objects to put in.

It had to be something beautiful but also something with a really interesting story.

Traditional Chinese wedding dress on display at Arlene House. (Credit: Fernando Fong) 

                                                    

The Man From China

This year marks the 200th anniversary of Keng Kwee’s birthday.

But who is he?

According to Lillian Tong, president of the Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Pulau Pinang, both Keng Kwee and his son Thye Phin were prominent tin miners, with Thye Phin being the last Kapitan China of Perak and Malaya.

A philanthropic millionaire and a pioneer in the field of tin mining, Keng Kwee is the founder of the modern city of Taiping in Perak.

Keng Kwee was also among the first in Malaya to own an automobile, the Ford Model T.

An aerial view of Taiping Lake Gardens. (Credit: Fernando Fong)

"Based in Penang, he was revered by the Chinese and European communities in the Straits Settlements during the British colonial period. His survival in the turbulent era was due to his position as leader of Hai San, a Chinese secret society in British Malaya during the Larut Wars from 1862 to 1873."

Lillian Tong, president of the Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Pulau Pinang to TRP on Kapitan Cina Chung Keng Kwee

An artist’s impression of the Larut Wars between Hai San and its rival Ghee Hin.
(Credit: Fernando Fong)

 

He was one of the six members of the Perak State Advisory Council appointed by the British Straits government.

When he passed away, Thye Phin, who is the fourth son, took over the family business.

When Thye Phin passed away in March 1935, he was said to be the wealthiest man in Penang.

A solitary tomb on a hill in Taiping where some of the battles in the Larut Wars were fought. (Credit: Fernando Fong)

 

Gazette Tunku's bungalow as a national heritage, Pemenang tells goverment

Pemenang president Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff said this was to ensure the house, which is rich in history, would continue to be protected and preserved. - NSTP/ZUHAINY ZULKIFFLI.

Audrey Dermawan - NST 18 March 2021

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Malay Association (Pemenang) has called on the government to gazette the former residence of the first prime minister of Malaysia, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj in Pulau Tikus here, as a national heritage.

Pemenang president Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff said this was to ensure the house, which is rich in history, would continue to be protected and preserved.

Yussof said Pemenang had written to Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri on the matter.

"We are requesting the National Heritage Department, through the commissioner of heritage, to gazette Tunku Abdul Rahman's house here as a national heritage.

"This house, which bore witness to many historical events in Tunku Abdul Rahman's lifetime, is rich in history and should be protected at all cost.

"Pemenang has also written to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to support our cause," he told the New Straits Times today.

The former residence of Tunku Abdul Rahman was recently put on the market for a whopping RM62 million.

The six-bedroom, double-storey detached residence with an annexed servants' quarters has been listed for sale on several property portals, including international listings.

The property sits on 0.6 hectare of freehold land fronting Jalan Park and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, a road named after the Tunku, who lived there until his demise in 1990.

The house with a built-up area of 9,867 sq ft and a land size of 64,472 sq ft, is a well-preserved heritage property, according to the listings.

Real estate experts had said if the deal goes through at RM62 million, it would be the most expensive landed residential property sold in the market today.

The current owner of this historical property is believed to be a private company (a non-developer) that bought it more than a decade ago.

To date, 173 heritage items in Malaysia including buildings, objects, intangible cultural heritage, archaeological sites, and living heritage treasures have been listed as national heritage under the National Heritage Act.

Elaborating, Yusoff said Tunku Abdul Rahman had vowed to make Penang his home when he retired in 1970 and the former premier initially bought a single-storey bungalow opposite Western Garden.

"Later, Tunku Abdul Rahman's close friend, Tan Kim Yeow, offered him to buy a bungalow -- No 16, Jalan Ayer Rajah (now Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman), which he named 'Takdir' -- the Malay word for fate. At that time, parliament had given him a gratuity (of RM200,000), in recognition of his role as the prime minister. It was with that money he bought the bungalow.

"It was in this very bungalow that many significant events took place. Tunku Abdul Rahman continued to welcome both local and foreign dignitaries, including the retired Thailand prime minister then, in this house. He also hosted a dinner here for the country's second prime minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

"It is also in this bungalow every year where we throw Tunku Abdul Rahman a birthday party, on every Feb 8, while at the same time, we organised the Piala Bapa Malaysia. Many other meetings were held in this house until his health took a toll on him in 1988. I used to go there every now and then.

"Indeed, the bungalow is rich in history and should be protected and preserved," he added.

Yusoff said, both the federal and state governments, should also come together to see how they could turn the bungalow into the Tunku Abdul Rahman's gallery.

Last Friday, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had said that the state government would get more information on the sale of the bungalow.

"Tunku is a national legend...(his residence is a) national asset that should be protected.

"We hope the federal government will also take note, but meanwhile the state government will get more information and look into it," he was quoted as saying then

Plea to restore colonial structure in Taiping

The remaining 34 pillars of Captain Speedy’s former house are a majestic landmark

8 Oct 2020

By Ivan Loh - Star Metro News

THE Taiping Heritage Society wants the 34 pillars of a former British assistant resident’s house, that are still standing in the town, to be restored as an attraction site.

Its president Yeap Thean Eng said the area located near the Taiping Lake Gardens should be revived as it held heritage value.He added that it was also a good tourist spot.

Yeap said the pillars used to support the former house of Captain Tristram Speedy, the then assistant resident of Larut in the late 19th century.

“The pillars look majestic and are a landmark in Taiping. It is a place of many good memories for the older generation there.

“Some folk even nicknamed them the Taiping Stonehenge,” he said.

The site is strategically located on a small hill overlooking the lake gardens with beautiful scenery.“We hope the authorities can do something to restore the pillars,” he added.

Yeap said the house was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the construction of a state rest house behind it, leaving the pillars untouched.

“The house was one of the many firsts in Taiping, built for a governing British resident in the country.

“The large and spacious house, which was mainly wooden, was built on these pillars but it was demolished when termites and the elements made it difficult to restore,” he said.

The rest house later became the Casuarina Inn in the 1970s but it was closed down 10 years ago. The area had been left idle since, he added.

Yeap said the society, with the Taiping Municipal Council, 9th Regiment Royal Rangers, non-governmental organisations, students and the local community, held a gotong-royong at the site.

“The place was filled with undergrowth and shrubs.

“It is a waste to leave it as it is, so about 110 people joined in to clean up the area.

“The place should be preserved and beautified so visitors can learn about its rich history and heritage.

“We should safeguard all heritage sites in Taiping,” he added.

A municipal council spokesperson said there were no set plans for the site.

“The land was just recently handed over to us by the state government, so nothing has been planned for the time being,” she said, adding that it was formerly under the management of Perak Development Corporation.

Metro News, Star

Taiping tourism unaffected by Bukit Larut closure

 

12 March, 2020

The closure of Bukit Larut, also known as Maxwell Hill, since last year due to landslide risks, has not affected tourist arrivals. Taiping is ranked among the top three sustainable cities in the world.

Taiping Municipal Council president Khairul Amir Mohamad Zubir said the heritage town still had many attractions such as the Perak Museum.

“The Public Works Department is in the process of opening tender for repair works at the affected areas.

“We expect Bukit Larut to be opened to the public by January next year at the latest, ” he told reporters after attending the programme of simultaneous planting of trees in conjunction with the Larut, Matang and Selama (LMS) district-level National Landscape Day celebrations here yesterday.

The event was officiated by the Orang Besar Jajahan or territorial chief of LMS Datuk Wan Mohd Isa Wan Mohd Razak, which saw some 300 trees being planted simultaneously at the Raintree Walk.

Khairul Amir said the council would plant 2,000 trees, including the Merawan Siput Jantan species (Hopea odorata) around Taiping town, as a climate change effect mitigating measure.

“The local community, schools and parks are encouraged to plant more trees, ” he said.

Bernama

Historic town of Taiping gets filmed for BBC’s Great Railway Journeys travelogue

Wednesday, 11 Sep 2019 04:39 PM MYT

BY SYLVIA LOOI

Great Railway Journeys’ host Micheal Portillo
shooting  a scene at Taiping Lake Gardens. —
Picture via Facebook/ Majlis Perbandaran Taiping

IPOH, Sept 11 — The peaceful town of Taiping is set to be included in an episode of BBC’s travelogue series, “Great Railway Journeys”.

The crew arrived in Taiping to shoot the scenes on September 7 where programme host Michael Portillo was taken to several popular locations such as the Raintree Walk, Taiping Lake Gardens, Taiping central market and Market Square.

In a posting on its official Facebook page, Taiping Municipal Council (MPT) said the programme would highlight Portillo’s journeys to several states and locations in Malaysia via train.

The heritage Taiping Central Market will be immortalised in the ‘Great Railway Journeys’ travelogue hosted by Micheal Portillo. — Picture via Facebook/ Majlis Perbandaran Taiping

“Portillo will delve into the area’s history and culture at every location he stops besides highlighting its arts, landscape, delicacies and tourists spots,” added the council.

Previously, the television series, which was first screened 10 years ago, had gone to India, United States, most of Europe and Russia.

The council noted that the series was based on a travel guide about the history of trains that was published in 1913.

“Travelling by train is fast becoming popular,” noted the council.

Following the post, many social media users urged the council to preserve Taiping’s old buildings.

Es Ng said heritage buildings should be preserved before they fell apart.

“Perhaps these kind of events can help speed up the process and get the state government to act fast,” he wrote.

Ong Lee said nature was at its best at the Taiping Lake Gardens and Bukit Larut (formerly known as Maxwell Hill).

“Would be excellent if MPT can please restore the facade of as many historical buildings as possible to maintain the status of Taiping Heritage Town,” she wrote.

Wan Mashitah also urged the council to preserve the old buildings in Taiping.

“If the buildings are not well maintained, we will lose these valuable assets that makes Taiping special,” she wrote.

MALAY MAIL

Taiping chosen as only ‘age-friendly town’ in Southeast Asia

Bernama  September 3, 2019 11:41 PM

Taiping attracts a lot of pensioners due to the low cost of living, pleasant
weather and ample facilities, including the famous Lake Gardens. (Bernama pic)

TAIPING: Taiping has been chosen as the only age-friendly town in Southeast Asia.

Taiping Municipal Council (MPT) president Borhan Abdul Halim said a celebration ceremony was scheduled to be held at the Taiping Perdana Hotel here on Sept 30.

He said the heritage town was chosen after MPT had met various criteria set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to achieve the status within five years.

Borhan said more than RM1 million had been spent by MPT in the research process carried out over the past two years through grants from the United Nations Development Programme.

“This will not only make Taiping well-known to the world but will also make it a pensioners’ town.

“It can attract pensioners to settle here and also invest here,” he told reporters after chairing the MPT monthly meeting at Wisma Perbandaran Taiping here today.

Meanwhile, he said a mural painting of aviation pioneer Amelia Mary Earhart, by artist Chen Teck Meng and Khok Chai Ong, had been completed on the wall of a two-storey shoplot on Jalan Abdul Jalil here.

BERNAMA