KUALA LUMPUR: There are hundreds of towns and villages in Malaysia that have heritage value.
Philosophy and civilisation expert Professor Dr Zaid Ahmad drew the estimates based on Malaysia’s history, which spans centuries, from the days of ancient Malay kingdoms to the rise and fall of Melaka and colonial rule.
He said mass migration, triggered by economic diversity and expanding British ventures, the Japanese occupation and communist insurgency, left behind rich traditions, especially by way of towns and villages.
Zaid said Pahang’s gold and tin-mining past, for instance, made towns like Raub and Kuala Lipis significant.
“Raub and Kuala Lipis were known for their gold mines. Kuala Lipis has the added advantage of being the previous state capital.”
“Sungai Lembing may be a museum now, but people used to travel to the town to work at the mines. While others bought cigarettes in packs, the people there bought them in tins as there was a duty-free shop there,” said the Pahang native.
He said Batu Arang and Kuala Kubu Baru in Selangor also stood out.
“There is a great deal to be made by way of tourism and cultural visibility in terms of these towns and villages, but you can’t Google to know more about them because they are usually obscure and undocumented.
“For conservation to begin, they must be documented by the state first.”
He said one of the more prolific states is Perak. This was seconded by Perak Heritage Society president Law Siak Hong.
The Kinta Valley was one of the country’s prominent tin producers. It saw some of the heaviest fighting between the resistance movement and the Japanese during World War 2.
Perak, one of the blackest states during the communist insurgency, has new villages set up under the Briggs Resettlement Plan.
Law said Papan was significant as WW2 hero Sybil Kathigasu’s base to help Japanese resistance fighters seeking refuge in the Kledang mountain range.
“Some villages in Perak are important as they were used as hideouts by the Japanese after the war.
“Others demonstrate history in race relations. Kantan and Kuala Kuang near Chemor are important new villages besides Malay villages such as Bekor.
“Kuala Sepetang and settlements at the lower reaches of Kuala Kangsar are also noteworthy.”