KUALA LUMPUR: IN 1917, Rantau Panjang, a major border crossing point between Malaysia and Thailand in the east coast of the country, was nothing more than a cowboy town.
It was, nevertheless, a busy commercial area as it had a train station. The area where the train station stood was called Rantau Panjang Lama, while the local administration centre was located a few kilometres away at Lubok Gong.
Rantau Panjang has since shed the cowboy town image, but retained its characteristically commercial role, albeit busier and louder.
Located on the banks of Sungai Golok, Rantau Panjang's development was rapid, compared with other districts in the state. Furthermore, its close proximity to the Thai border had strategically transformed it into one of the most popular duty-free zones in Kelantan.
An ex-employee at SK Gual Periok, Mustafa Muda, said the Rantau Panjang today was different from the sleepy town it was decades ago.
"Between 1917 and 1920 (1920 was the year the train service linking Kelantan to Sungai Golok town stopped its service), a majority of the people living along the border here worked as 'tok peraih' (petty traders) and their main mode of transportation was the local train.
"The tok peraih will use the train — which starts off from Tumpat and passes through five other stations — to transport their goods, from vegetables and fruits to livestock. Rice and other essential items smuggled in from Thailand were also transported via train," said the 72-year-old, who now resides in Kampung Gual Periok.
He said petty traders then were required to pay 24 sen a mile for the train service, which ended in the town of Sungai Golok.
"Everything was cheap then. Local people would do whatever work needed as long as they could get some income. Smuggling was not a crime then, and this continued for generations, even until today."
Mustafa said the local council administration centre was eventually moved to Rantau Panjang Lama the same year after the authorities decided to extend the railway tracks.
"Since then, Rantau Panjang began to progress. I watched its rapid development as I was born in Kampung Bagus, which is near Rantau Panjang Lama. It eventually became what it is today — a shopping haven and a popular tourist destination."
Many locals, especially old-timers, are unaware of how Rantau Panjang got its name.
Former SMK Mahmood Mahmud Mahyidin worker, Mamat Jusoh, 73, said there were several versions of the story.
"Some people say it's named after a long chain that was found in the area by a local. Another story says that the border area separated the place from the other side.
"Until today, no one can confirm which story is true. But what I can say is that most of the border was covered in thick jungle at that time, including the area where the current duty-free zone is located.
"Sungai Golok those years was also wide and deep, not shallow like it is today. The distance from the riverbank here to the other side was about 200m. Today, it is only 25m," he said at Kampung Bakat here.
Mamat said he had researched Rantau Panjang's history for three years from 1973 and even published a book, Penubuhan dan Pembangunan Majlis Tempatan Rantau Panjang (The Establishment and Development of the Rantau Panjang Local Council).
"Rantau Panjang is not only unique for the variety of goods sold. The people themselves are also unique. Besides the locals, there are people of mixed-parentage.
"Mixed-marriages began after the border was established in 1909 following the Anglo-Siamese Treaty (Bangkok Treaty) of 1909. Decades ago, only 500 people were living at the border town, but the number has since increased to the thousands."
(The Bangkok Treaty was an agreement between the United Kingdom and Kingdom of Thailand, which saw the latter relinquish its sovereignty claim over Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu which came under the British sphere of influence as protectorates).