Historic sites in Taiping that need to be restored.

The Taiping Central Market is the oldest market in Malaysia, and maintains much of the original architectural structure but is a far cry from being in pristine condition. — Pictures by Farhan Najib

Saturday, 29 Sep 2018 07:29 AM MYT

By Loghun Kumaran

TAIPING, Sept 29 ― Taiping  is known as a heritage town with 33 firsts — 33 attractions that were the first of their kind in Malaysian history.

One of them, the Taiping clock tower, was recently given a new lease of life and chimed for the first time in over 10 years.

But while many of the 33 firsts have been maintained to this day, there are at least five run-down firsts that have either been abandoned, or left in a deplorable state.

Some of these historic firsts are located along the town’s heritage trail, crying out for something to be done.

Along with Taiping Heritage Society president Yeap Thean Eng, an expert on local history, the Malay Mail visited five of the Taiping firsts that are in sorry conditions.

Taiping Central Market

Taiping Central Market is made up of two buildings — the wet market built in 1884 and the dry market that came up a year later.

It is the oldest market in Malaysia, and maintains much of its original structure.

Both wooden buildings still function as markets, but are a far cry from being in pristine condition.

While taking Malay Mail on a visit, Yeap pointed to the rotting tinder and the dirty conditions of the marketplace.

“It’s very dirty. The floor is just cement instead of having tiles. Rats are also a big problem here, especially at night because the waste is not disposed of properly,” he said.

“How can we show off this iconic market when there are problems with cleanliness and pests?”

One of the market’s unique characteristics lies in its cool ventilation, thanks to the way it was built by the British.

“After studying the wind currents in Taiping, they built it so wind from the hills blows through the building. It is well ventilated.”

Yeap said the market needed to be the next place to be refurbished after the success of the clock tower.

“This must be the priority for refurbishment, because people still use it. It is also an important heritage building,” he said.

Taiping Heritage Society president Yeap Thean Eng says nothing had changed with the condition of the Perak Railways building despite the issue being highlighted in the Malay Mail last year

Perak Railways Building

The Perak Railways Building was built in 1885, and served as a ticketing counter for the first railway station in Perak ― then under the purview of Perak Railways.

Besides being the country’s first railway building, it also housed the local Public Works Department office and the Sessions Court for about a year.

Located in Jalan Stesen and Jalan Lim Tee Hooi, the building is believed to have been abandoned for 30 years ago. 

Today, the building is run down and covered in graffiti and vegetation. Vagrants and suspected drug addicts seek shelter in the building’s hallowed walls.

Only last year, the Malay Mail highlighted the dilapidated structure in a report on Taiping’s lost treasures.

However, there has been no visible change to the building.

“It hasn’t gotten any better,” said Yeap, who believes it should be gazetted as a heritage building.

Town Resthouse 

Located just next to the Perak Railways building is the Town Resthouse, which is a first in the Malay states.

It was built in 1879 and was originally a single-storey timber building that housed the governor’s residence.

In 1894, it was upgraded to a double storey brick building.

Today, the building is boarded off from the public, despite there is a signboard proclaiming its status as one of the attractions on the heritage trail.

Its structure is falling apart and the building is a pale shadow of what it used to be.

“More than 10 years ago, there was an attempt to renovate and refurbish the building.

“But, this is how it looks now. It is sad to see two such buildings in this condition next to one another.”

 

Yeap said the Tekah airstrip could be a fun tourist attraction.

Tekah Airstrip

The Tekah Airstrip was built by the British in 1929 for non-military use, and is believed to be one of the first airstrips in the country, along with Kedah’s Alor Setar airport, which was built in the same year.

Legendary aviator Amelia Earhart landed at the airstrip in 1937 on a refuelling stop during her fatal flight around the world.

Today, the airstrip is abandoned, with remnants of the broken control tower, offices leaving memories of halcyon days gone by.

“It can be a fun attraction. The control tower can be open for people to go in. We can have information boards telling people about the history of this facility.

“It has a lot of potential, especially with the large plot of land around the airstrip.”

Yeap still feels that the former golf course can be reborn with a modern spin as a pitch and putt course

Taiping Golf Course

Unlike the other attractions on this list, the nation’s first golf course is not in a derelict condition. Strictly speaking however, it does not exist anymore.

Created in 1886, it was once a nine-hole course winding around the town’s New Club, the Taiping Prison, and a school.

There is a statue of a giant golf ball, marking the history of the place.

Now the greens are populated with trees.

Yeap feels that the golf course can be used  as a pitch and putt course instead.

“One of the problems with the old course was its proximity to the school. Long drives would land in the school compound and in some cases, broke a few windows. A pitch and putt course will be more suited.”

Yeap added this could be an attraction for tourists and golf enthusiasts alike. 

“It can be fun, but at the same time many people will want the chance to play on the country’s first golf course.

“They can even be given certificates to mark their visit.”

State can take over abandoned buildings, says expert

KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — Local councils are allowed to take over pre-war buildings if they have been left in an uninhabitable state.
Under Section 127 of the National Land Code, a property or building that has been left in an uninhabitable or alienated state can be forfeited to the authority of the state government.
Responding to Malay Mail’s report on abandoned pre-war buildings in Taiping on Monday, local government and planning law expert Derek Fernandez said the state should exercise its right to reclaim the land, if necessary.
The abandoned buildings include some 100 old houses, shoplots and the 132-year-old Perak Railways building located at the junction of Jalan Stesen and Jalan Lim Tee Hooi.
Before such an action can be taken, he said, a listing of pre-war buildings had to be made based on their heritage as well as historical and cultural value.
“We must first know the value of these buildings ... it is also important to determine if they are on private or government-owned land,” he said.
“The state must identify which buildings come under the Heritage Act, and if they don’t, it may still be protected under the Town and Country Act 1976 via the urban design guidelines in the local plan.
“If some buildings are not worth saving, then the state can proceed to carry out development, especially if the land is not kept in good condition.”
Fernandez said through the list created by the state on pre-war buildings, local councils would be able to determine the funding required for the repurposing and development of such land.
“In areas like Taiping, it wouldn’t cost too much to forfeit the land for repurposing, hence it should be a part of the yearly budget,” he said.
Fernandez also said it was a shame many old buildings in Malaysia were left in ruins because of lack of care.
“Pre-war architecture is beautiful and should be kept alive, if possible,” he said.
“Designers and architects can repurpose buildings in their original fashion. It costs money but it’s worth it.”
* Editor's note: An error was made in the print version of this story which has since been corrected here.

By May Robertson
Malaymail Online

Taiping pre-war buildings battered

TAIPING, May 1 — If the walls of the abandoned buildings in Taiping could talk, they would share tales of life in the quiet and serene town during the pre-war days.
Some 100 old houses, shoplots and even the 132-year-old Perak Railways building located at the junction of Jalan Stesen and Jalan Lim Tee Hooi, have been left abandoned, leaving many clueless of their history.
Many residents and visitors are unhappy and question what steps are being taken to preserve the town’s historical structures.
Although most are privately owned, the architecture of these buildings gives an insight to the art, lifestyle and economy of the town when they were set up. Some of the structures, including the Perak Railways building, are located within the town’s heritage trail.
Taiping Heritage Society president Yeap Thean Eng said there were about 100 abandoned buildings in the historical town.
“They include privately-owned shoplots, and unoccupied government buildings and bungalows previously used as government quarters,” he said.
“These buildings are an eyesore and with this year being Visit Perak Year we are seeing an influx of tourists to the state and town.”
The Perak Railways building, set up in 1885, has been vandalised, its walls and roof are in bad shape because of the extreme weather over the years.
During its heyday, the building served as a ticketing counter and office for the state’s first railway station. Next to it was a government rest house.
Later, it functioned as the Public Works Department office and temporarily housed the Sessions Court.
Those who visit the building today would find it has turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes, with pillows and clothes, believed to belong to vagrants, scattered on the floor.
Yeap said the buildings started deteriorating when they were abandoned 30 years ago.
“They can be saved. The authorities should gazette them as heritage buildings as they have unique designs, especially the interior courtyards,” he said.
“If the authorities don’t have funds, they should offer it to the private sector,”
He said there were many other shoplots and bungalows, with rich history, that were demolished in the past.
“These buildings pose a safety hazard to the public. They attract drug addicts and snakes. It’s sad to see them in such condition,” he said.
“Taiping is known for its history. Ideally, they should be restored and preserved, regardless of whether they are located along the heritage trail or not.”
Yeap urged the authorities to implement stricter enforcement and strategies to ensure privately-owned buildings would be spared from ruin.
“The authorities should restore the government buildings and penalise owners who allow them to rot,” he said.

By Loghun Kumaran
The Malay Mail OnlineMay 1, 2017

A letter to the NST Editor Build on our history

NEW STRAITS TIMES

January 12, 2016 @ 11:00am

I HAVE been following the discussion on the Taiping market, having read Liew Suet Fun’s article (“The extraordinary passage of Taiping’s Central Market”, NST, Dec 27) and the subsequent letter from Datuk Mutalib Razak (“Taiping needs tourism blueprint”, NST, Jan 2).

As someone living in Taiping all my life and as president of the Taiping Heritage Society, I recognise the necessity of conserving the aspects of heritage that form the essential character of the town.

It is also this distinctive quality that sets it apart from other towns and can become the strongest basis for a viable and sustainable strategy for tourism. I agree with Mutallib’s call to look towards heritage in developing the industry.

The Taiping Municipal Council with Northern Corridor Implementation Authority has earmarked some 39 heritage sites and raised signages and markers for these sites. Efforts are also being made to develop and conserve the iconic Taiping Lake Gardens. I am sure this attitude will prevail as they assume authority in the management of Bukit Larut, once known as Maxwell Hill, from January this year.

Bukit Larut, whose natural setting is its greatest virtue, must not walk the path of Genting Highlands or Cameron Highlands, where extensive development has altered the environment. For Taiping’s Central Market, I hope that the Taiping Municipal Council will tread carefully with its restoration plans.

The market is a repository of living history as inter-generational businesses have operated there for almost a century. A survey conducted by the authorities last year showed that over 90 per cent of these businesses are against the move to new premises. This overwhelming majority in favour of the current location must be taken seriously.

The Taiping Heritage Society stands ready to assist the council to ensure development of any kind is carried out in a balanced and thoughtful manner. We need to build on our history instead of obliterating it.

n YEAP THEAN ENG, Taiping, Perak

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015

We had our Annual General Meeting 2015 on the 15 May 2015 at Flemington Hotel, Taiping at 6.00pm together with a Book Launch by Khoo Salma Nasution entitled "Redoubtable Reformer, the life and times of Cheah Cheang Lim" co written by Francis Cooray & Khoo Salma Nasution.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

When Taiping celebrated all things Peranakan

BY HELEN ONG

Tuesday March 31, 2015
08:49 AM GMT+8

The contestants strutting their stuff for Nyonya Queen competition. 

Pictures by Helen Ong

 TAIPING, March 31 — The second Taiping Baba Nyonya Festival was held recently at the Hotel Taiping Perdana. Jointly organised by the Taiping Heritage Society and the Taiping Tourist Association, the afternoon started with a small Peranakan Exhibition which included stalls selling various paraphernalia to do with this unique culture. It culminated in a grand sit-down Peranakan Dinner for over 400 people.

One of the highlights included a “Best Nyonya Dish” contest in which proud housewives — and, I was delighted to see, one husband — brought the results of labouring in their respective kitchens to be tasted and possibly hailed as the winning dish.

I was honoured to be invited back as one of the judges again, this time with Taipingite Chef Ricky Ng, who has written several cookbooks on the cuisine and who, incidentally, was responsible for the Peranakan Dinner. Joining us was Tok Puan Norisha, wife of the OBJ (Orang Besar Jajahan) Daerah Larut Matang dan Selama (LMS).

Best Dressed Baba Lim Choo Hock receiving his hamper.

Nineteen contestants submitted one savoury dish each, with the more well-known ones like Kari Kapitan, Salt Fish Acar and Otak Otak prevalent, as well as one or two which were probably not really traditional Nyonya.

However, it was good to see a dish that has almost disappeared — Nyonya Serai Prawn, otherwise known as Sambal Goreng, cooked with belacan, serai (lemongrass) and coconut — entered by 62-year old Tan Ah Meng who also had the honour of being one of only two men who took part.

“It’s a dish which my Nyonya mother-in-law used to cook for us,” he explained, “I wanted to see it make a comeback.”

The deserving winner was Cheah Kai Wei whose Salt Fish Acar blew the judges away with its authentic full flavours. Cheah, who runs a Curry Mee stall in town, told me that she got the recipe off the Internet.

Tan walked away with the second prize for the aforementioned Sambal Goreng, followed closely by Rose Gabriel’s beautifully-decorated and very tasty Sambal Terong Peranakan.

.The main event of the evening was the “Nyonya Queen” contest which I was also asked to judge, together with kebaya maker Steven Ong (no relation) and former Mrs Qi Bao Vinna Lim.

Sixteen brave souls strutted their stuff on stage in their most colourful and stunning sarongs and kebayas, suitably accessorised as befits a well-dressed Nyonya lady: Glittering kerosang(linked brooches), manek(beaded) shoes and handbags.

Many had even gone to the trouble of dressing their hair in typical Nyonya style: into elegant sanggoi (buns) studded with diamante combs and clips.

After much deliberation — and it was indeed a hard choice as there were many deserving winners — a delighted Tham Oi Tai, 44, was crowned Nyonya Queen 2015.

She received a hamper and an angpow. Runners-up were Sabrina Vun and Khor Poh Geok. “The number of lovely contestants was very encouraging,” said Ong.

However, the men were not forgotten. Five men were chosen from among the male diners as finalists for the “Best-Dressed Baba” of the night and the winner was Lim Choo Hock. His father Baba Lim Chung Bee received a special mention for being, at the ripe old age of 92, the oldest Baba in town.

In between the various events joget dances and other entertainment was provided by the Baba Nyonya Art & Culture Group Dance Team from Malacca.

“It was a sell-out,” said committee member Sharon Ng, “although I would like to have seen more audience participation in the dancing! We intend to hold this once every two years.”

If you would like to find out more about the next event, contact Yeap Thean Eng, Chairman of the Taiping Heritage Society, on 012-5382743.

- See more at: http://www.mmail.com.my/features/article/when-taiping-celebrated-all-things-peranakan#sthash.yGIEMw8w.dpuf

VISIT TO TAIPING PRISONS

Photos taken during our recent visit to Penjara Taiping on 27 January 2015

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS

On the heritage trail

FROM NST TRAVEL 30 Oct 2014

A walking tour offers Sharon Ng Kooi Kin insight into the various places of worship in Penang

WE are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring hats, umbrellas and drinking water on the 120-minute walk in the hot tropical sun.

We are at the Penang Teochew Association in Chulia Street to register for the 7.30am slot of Heritage Walk And Talk organised by the Penang Heritage Trust. There are some 300 participants at the registration tables. Our group of 11 from Taiping Heritage Society will join the Bukit Brown members from Singapore.

Before we start, chief organiser and project consultant Lim Gaik Siang, who is also the chairperson of the association’s Han Jiang Ancestral Temple restoration committee, gives an entertaining orientation talk on Folk Beliefs In George Town World Heritage Site.

She speaks about customs, legends and the beliefs of 200 religious houses and clan associations which celebrate about 500 festivals a year. In George Town, there are many houses of worship of all religions and Chinese temples are steeped in Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism.

She goes into detail about some of the more popular deities, how to recognise them in the temples we will be visiting that morning, the significance of offerings, the practices and staunch beliefs of the devotees and many other interesting tidbits to whet our appetite for the actual tour.

WALK THE TALK

A petite and sprightly girl named Joann Khaw is assigned to be our guide. Joann, a licenced tour guide with 20 years’ experience, is very knowledgeable about local beliefs and history. Her commentaries are engrossing, especially when she throws in her own experiences.

We start walking through a street bazaar where Indian delicacies are on sale. This is Little India, with Hindu shrines and stalls of colourful flowers and garlands lining the pavements.

Stalls of colourful flowers and garlands

We couldn’t enter the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple but Joann gives us a brief background, telling us how and why Lord Ganesha has an elephant head! The walk continues to temples and shrines like the Chi Sian Shrine on Lebuh Queen and the Wu Di Temple on Lebuh King.

The Tua Peh Kong Temple is the most impressive. We are introduced to the Jade Emperor (T’nee Kong) and the Duke of Heaven (T’nee Kua). Not to be missed is a little shrine hidden behind the main altar housing a female deity. Women pray to her for a good husband or boyfriend. The most common offerings are bottles of rose water, compact face powder and lipstick!

The biggest and seemingly most popular temple is the Kong Hock Keong or Guan Im (Goddess of Mercy) Temple on Lebuh Pitt.

A worker is seen on a ladder adding oil to a large vessel containing oil. Tiam yew (adding oil) is a common gesture by worshipers to bring blessings to their families.

SHRINES AND DEITIES

Another interesting aspect of the walking tour is the visit to shrines dedicated to specific deities.

We are shown two shrines of the Tujuh Beradik (Seven Brothers) Datuk Kong where devotees come to ask for, among other requests, lottery numbers !

At these shrines, seven skull caps and seven urns for joss sticks are common features. Offerings include cigarettes, coconut, betelnut leaves and other halal food, usually brought by Chinese devotees.

It is more like a folk belief with a touch of animism, rather than mainstream religions yet such shrines still maintain a following till this day.

In a street corner at Lebuh Pitt is the Ganesha Shrine. Hindu devotees pray here, swirling incense and breaking coconuts in front of the shrine.

Asked if other races pray here too, Joann says that many Chinese do. As if on cue, two young Chinese girls in shorts show up to pay homage.

The statue of Ganesha is usually garlanded but the garlands are cleared daily at 5pm, the shrine swept clean and broken coconut shells removed.

The last two worship houses we visit are Yap Temple in Lebuh Armenian and Kapitan Keling Mosque in Pitt Street.

The latter, an imposing building of Moorish architecture, was built in 1801. It is the oldest mosque in George Town. It was called Masjid Kapitan Keling Pitt Street.

In the front compound of the mosque, there used to be a police station (tua balai), a market and auctioneer’s junction. In fact, along Pitt Street (now renamed Lebuh Masjid Kapitan Keling) are houses of worship of the four main religions in the country: Christianity (St. George’s Church), Buddhism/Taoism (Guan Im Temple), Hindusim (Maha Mariamman Temple) and Islam (Masjid Kapitan Keling).

All these houses of worship are more than a century old and play a big part in promoting George Town as a world heritage site.

A Hindu street procession at the Little India

The preservation of this multi-religious and multi-racial feature of George Town is rarely found anywhere else in the world. The best part is that they can all be visited within a two-hour walk!

PUPPET AND OPERA MUSEUM

The last stop is the Teochew Puppet & Opera Museum in Mor Hun Club, Lebuh Armenian. For me, this is the most interesting of all the sites on the walk.

The Teochew clan, a Chinese dialect group, has a strong presence in traditional performing arts and their skills and activities have been listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Penang.

The last Teochew puppet owner, Toh Ai Wah, now 64, was the winner of the Living Heritage Treasure of Penang Award in 2008.

Although we do not get to meet her, we are introduced to Ling Goh, her daughter and the present director. Ling, also a puppeteer, represents the sixth generation of the Goh family Teochew opera troupe.

For our visit, she demonstrates how to apply stage make-up and shares with us the work they’re presently doing. The troupe is usually invited to perform at Chinese religious festivals all over Penang and even in other States.

The operas are not only for the viewing pleasure of temple gods but also for entertaining present day audiences.

For instance, a few months ago, her troupe was invited to perform at a cafe lounge in Kuala Lumpur, with a puppet show as introduction and life-sized actors continuing the story.

Puppet shows and operas are also regularly held at the museum.

THS nembers with Ling Goh (in red) and Joanne (in white)

This unique museum has a wonderful display of performing arts paraphernalia, made even more fascinating by the presence of puppet-sized costumes, miniature furniture and stage props.

Richly embroidered human-sized Chinese opera costumes hang in one corner while other counters show off cloth shoes and high boots, long beards, bejewelled head dresses, elaborate masks and wooden weapons used in traditional Chinese dramas.

The puppet dolls, dressed in lavishly decorated costumes, are a delight to see. Also on display are the wind and string musical instruments used by the stage musicians, scripts and musical scores featured in Chinese operas.

What a fitting end to one of the most interesting and engrossing heritage walks I have ever embarked upon.

George Town in Penang was awarded Unesco World Heritage Site status on July 7, 2008. This year is the sixth anniversary of its Heritage Day celebrations, which spans over two days with some 40 events and activities to choose from, including talks, city walks, traditional handicraft classes, Ramadan bazaar, Penang food, open houses, multicultural performances and temple opera shows.

Fast Facts

Penang Heritage Trust, 26 Lebuh Gereja, George Town, Penang.

Tel: 04-264 2631. Email: info@pht.org.my

Teochew Puppet and Opera Museum

Tel: 04-262 0377

By Sharon Ng Kooi Kin

Taiping's Old Museum House

Friday 16 May 2014 12:01 AM IPOH ECHO

Museum's chief caretaker Mr Tan Kok Siew briefing the Taiping Heritage Society members

About 40 heritage lovers joined in the Taiping Heritage Society’s visit to the Old House Museum, located at Market Square recently. The facility is along Jalan Taming Sari near the old Taiping wet market, where the town’s iconic clock tower stands.

The museum, the latest tourist and history buff attraction in town, was ‘adapted’ in 2013 into a 130-year-old three-storey heritage shophouse belonging to the late Lim Zi You. The house-museum opened its doors during Chinese New Year this year. It records and recollects the history of the Lim family dynasty after their move to Malaya from China over a century ago. Lim started business making charcoal stoves and later alcoholic drinks for the immigrant population in old Taiping.

Former Perak Heritage Society president, Law Siak Hong, who was in the group, said that the museum is Taiping’s pride. “It’s a unique icon, as old stuff from the original owner are still kept intact in the house”, he said.

The house has all the trimmings of a bygone era like turn-of-the-century furniture and fittings, a large dining room, ancestral hall, sitting area, large bedrooms with a Qing dynasty bed and old toilet baths, all built from old construction materials, joints, techniques and carved wood. Many impressive antiques and rare objects are displayed for the appreciation of  keen history enthusiasts.

Inside the museum

Taiping Heritage Society’s honorary secretary, P. Kesavan, said that there is an urgent need for the preservation and protection of old buildings and shophouses in Taiping. “I believe Taiping’s heritage status is merely a declaration, which has no protection status. What is really needed is to gazette the old parts of the town to be totally protected under the law, like is done in Penang and Malacca.”

Kesavan added that there had to be a permanent solution to protecting Taiping’s heritage, which was fast disappearing, and a proper mechanism to stop the cutting of old trees in the town, which were symbiotic with its heritage feel.

The house museum’s chief caretaker, Tan Kok Siew or Kapitan, as he is fondly called, said that most of the original fittings and designs are well preserved and he took the liberty of adding his own collection of antiques and artifacts for display.

“By housing a museum in this old building, I can help to preserve the antiquity of the entire structure and at the same time open it for public viewing to inculcate a passion for saving things of the past. These buildings have great value for everyone to appreciate,” he said.

Tan hoped the museum would encourage the conservation of heritage buildings and icons in Taiping and stop them from being destroyed forever.

Nirmal Ariyapala

Annual General Meeting 2014

The new Committee members elected are as below:

President - Yeap Thean Eng

Vice President - Abdul Halim Yahaya

Hon Secretary - P. Kesavan

Asst Secretary - M. Mahendran

Hon Treasurer - Teoh Kok Liang

Committees

Sharon Ng

Tung Lay Chun

Duncan Raj

Mohd Nor

Goh Keat Soon

Chung Chew Seng

Dato' Zuhuri Ahmad

CONGRATULATIONS !!!