Taiping (,
Jawi: ; zh, t=太平, ,
Hokkien
The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages in ...
: Thài-pêng; ta, தைப்பிங்) is a town located in
Larut, Matang and Selama District
The Larut, Matang and Selama District is a district of Perak, Malaysia. Taiping is the capital town of this district. Larut, Matang and Selama used to be three small different districts and they merged into one larger district later. Larut, M ...
,
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. It is located approximately northwest of
Ipoh
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, coordinates ...
, the capital of
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
, and southeast of
George Town,
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
. With a population of 245,182 (in 2013), it is the second largest town in Perak after
Ipoh
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak
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, coordinates ...
, the state capital.
Taiping took over
Kuala Kangsar
The Kuala Kangsar (Perak Malay: ''Kole Kangso'') is the royal town of Perak, Malaysia. It is located at the downstream of Kangsar River where it joins the Perak River, approximately northwest of Ipoh, Perak's capital, and southeast of ...
's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh. Its growth slowed after that, but in recent years the town has been developing rapidly again.
Perak State Museum
The Perak Museum ( ms, Muzium Perak) is a public museum located at the junction of Jalan Muzium (Museum Road) and Jalan Taming Sari (Main Road) in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia. It is the oldest museum in Malaysia and highlights the history of the ...
is located in the town.
Taiping also receives some limelight for being the wettest town in
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
. 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
The Taiping Lake Gardens ( ms, Taman Tasik Taiping) is the first public garden established during the British rule in Malaysia. The garden is located near Bukit Larut, and is equidistant to the town centre and the Taiping Zoo.
History
The Taipi ...
.
Taiping was ranked Top 3 Sustainable Cities in the world.
History
The area developed quickly in the 19th century when
tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn (from la, stannum) and atomic number 50. Tin is a silvery-coloured metal.
Tin is soft enough to be cut with little force and a bar of tin can be bent by hand with little effort. When bent, t ...
was discovered. The mines attracted large numbers of settlers, particularly
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
. 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 capital for the districts of
Larut, Matang and Selama
The Larut, Matang and Selama District is a district of Perak, Malaysia. Taiping is the capital town of this district. Larut, Matang and Selama used to be three small different districts and they merged into one larger district later. Larut, Ma ...
in Perak. Before 1937, Taiping was the capital of the state of Perak and the centre of a long and drawn out war resulting in a change of rulership for the state. Taiping used to be known as Klian Pauh – ''Klian'' meaning mine while ''Pauh'' is a type of small mango.
![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/St._George%27s_Institution%2C_Malaysia_2.jpg)
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
Bukit Gantang ( Jawi: بوكيت ڬنتڠ; ) is a mukim and parliament constituency in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy con ...
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 was how Larut got its name.
Eventually in 1850, Larut district was bestowed upon Long Jaafar by Raja Muda Ngah Ali and the Chiefs of Perak: the 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 succession disputes ensued. Unhappy with the abuse and favouritism of various royalties, rival Malay camps took sides with one or the other of the two great Chinese secret societies present in there at the time.
Long Jaafar established and developed his administrative centre at
Bukit Gantang
Bukit Gantang ( Jawi: بوكيت ڬنتڠ; ) is a mukim and parliament constituency in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy con ...
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
Ngah Ibrahim was a Malay headman who succeeded his father Long Jaafar as headman and administrator of the district of Larut upon the death of his father in 1857. By the time of Sultan Ismail Mu'abbiddin Riayat Shah of Perak, Ngah Ibrahim had qu ...
the Chinese increased in number and by 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 (五館 or 五群) and the Cantonese "Four Associations" or Si-Kuan (四館).
Chung Keng Quee
Kapitan China Chung Keng Quee (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Chhang Kín-kui, 182713 December1901) was the founder and administrator of modern Taiping in Perak, Malaysia. Appointed "Capitan China" by the British in 1877, he was a millionaire philanthropist ...
(鄭景貴) was leader of the Hakka Go-Kuan and the Hai San (海山) society that 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 Cantonese Go-Kuan
Ghee Hin
The Ghee Hin Kongsi () was a secret society in Singapore and Malaya, formed in 1820. Ghee Hin literally means "the rise of righteousness" in Chinese and was part of the Hongmen overseas network. The Ghee Hin often fought against the Hakka-domin ...
Society (義興私會黨) and the
Hakka
The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhej ...
Hai San
The Hai San Society (), which had its origins in Southern China,Encyclopædia Britannica was a Penang-based Chinese secret society established around 1820 and in 1825 led by Low, Ah ChongTriad Societies: Western Accounts of the History, Sociology ...
society. Many
Hakka
The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhej ...
had fled China when the
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a massive rebellion and civil war that was waged in China between the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the Han, Hakka-led Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It lasted fr ...
broke out there and found work in the mines of
Chung Keng Quee
Kapitan China Chung Keng Quee (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Chhang Kín-kui, 182713 December1901) was the founder and administrator of modern Taiping in Perak, Malaysia. Appointed "Capitan China" by the British in 1877, he was a millionaire philanthropist ...
establishing his position over the mining area in Larut as leader of the
Hai San
The Hai San Society (), which had its origins in Southern China,Encyclopædia Britannica was a Penang-based Chinese secret society established around 1820 and in 1825 led by Low, Ah ChongTriad Societies: Western Accounts of the History, Sociology ...
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
A resident minister, or resident for short, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indir ...
of Perak Mr.
James Wheeler Woodford Birch
James Wheeler Woodford Birch, commonly known as J. W. W. Birch (3 April 1826 – 2 November 1875) was a British colonial official who was assassinated in the Malay state of Perak in 1875, an event that led to the outbreak of the Perak War and ...
at
Pasir Salak
Pasir Salak ( Jawi: ڤاسير سالق; ) is a mukim and historical riverside town in Perak Tengah District, Perak, Malaysia, about 45 minutes from the state capital, Ipoh.
The British colonial official J.W.W. Birch, who had been sent to tak ...
in 1875. In 1937, the capital of Perak was moved from Taiping to
Ipoh
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.
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 took its schedule on 1 June 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, tin mining still remains an important industry in the area as rubber and rice.
Geography and climate
![taiping-night-view](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Taiping-night-view.jpg)
Taiping lies 23m above sea level situated on a plain to the west of the
Bintang Mountains.
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
's capital city,
Ipoh
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, pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia
, coordinates ...
, is approximately southeast of the town, while
George Town, the capital city of the neighbouring state of
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
, lies away to the northwest.
Climate
Taiping also receives some limelight for being the wettest town in Peninsular Malaysia even on the driest month. In June, the town still receives 159 mm , 6.3 inch of rainfall. The average annual rainfall is about 3,000mm 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.
Government
![Taiping Municipal - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Taiping_Municipal_-_panoramio.jpg)
The
Taiping Municipal Council
Taiping Municipal Council ( ms, Majlis Perbandaran Taiping, abbreviated MPT) is the municipal council which administers Taiping in the state of Perak, Malaysia. This council was established after the township. Their jurisdiction covers an area of ...
is the
municipal council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counci ...
which administers the township. This council was established after the township in 1930. Their jurisdiction covers an area of 186.46 square kilometres.
Due to electoral division by
Election Commission of Malaysia
The Election Commission of Malaysia ( ms, Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia), abbreviated SPR or EC, is a commission set up for ensuring fair and equitable operations in undertaking the elections in Malaysia. Its establishment is mandated by ex ...
, there are two parliamentary and six state
constituencies
An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other polity ...
(DUN) dividing the township. There are Taiping parliamentary seat,
Aulong Aulong ( Jawi: اولوڠ; ) is a suburb of Taiping, Perak, Malaysia. This town has an estimated population of 5000, with the majority being Chinese and Malays. The main town centre consists of the old and new villages. There are a few housing esta ...
,
Pokok Assam
Pokok Assam is a small town in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia. It is the second biggest satellite town in Taiping, after Kamunting, with its famous road side fried chicken
Fried chicken, also known as Southern fried chicken, is a dish consistin ...
and
Kamunting
Kamunting ( Malay pronunciation: /Kemunting/) is a town in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia. It is the biggest satellite town of Taiping.
During the Malayan Emergency between 1948 and 1960, Kamunting was the site of a major Br ...
state seat meanwhile for
Bukit Gantang
Bukit Gantang ( Jawi: بوكيت ڬنتڠ; ) is a mukim and parliament constituency in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy con ...
parliamentary seat,
Terong
Terong ( Jawi: تروڠ; zh, 直弄) is a mukim in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territo ...
,
Kuala Sepetang
Kuala Sepetang ( Jawi: كوالا سيڤيتڠ; ) is a coastal town located in Larut, Matang and Selama District in northwestern Perak, Malaysia. It is also popularly known by English-speaking locals as Port Weld (Chinese: ) after a former Govern ...
and
Changkat Jering
Changkat Jering ( Jawi: چڠكت جريڠ; ) is a small town in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia. It connects Taiping to the North–South Expressway via the southern exit. Changkat Jering is famed for its big weekly evening m ...
state seat.
Demographics
Taiping has traditionally been a Chinese majority which is still retained till date. The Chinese make up 46%, followed by Malays at 37%, and Indians at 14%. Others constitute 3% of the population.
Education
Primary and secondary education in Taiping are provided by national-type schools, Chinese-medium schools and Tamil-medium schools. Some of the notable schools are SMK Convent Taiping , SM Klian Pauh, Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Hua Lian, St. George's Institution, SMK King Edward VII, Treacher Methodist Girls' School
Attractions
![Taiping Lake Gardens - Raintrees](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Taiping_Lake_Gardens_-_Raintrees.jpg)
*
Lake Garden – The first public garden established during the British rule in Malaysia. It was originally a mining ground before established as a public garden in 1880.
*
Maxwell Hill
Bukit Larut is a hill resort in Malaysia located in the state of Perak, Malaysia, 10 kilometres southwest from Taiping. It was established under the direction of British colonists in 1884 as a place of observation for tin mining activity and as ...
(''Bukit Larut'') – A hill station with an altitude of about 1000m; ideal for jungle-trekking and camping.
*Tulip Garden – Located at Bukit Larut, it is the first tulip farm established in Malaysia. This has now been closed.
* Taiping Zoo and Night Safari Taiping – First zoo to be established in Malaysia; popular on weekends with day-trippers from out of town
*Old Clock Tower
*Perak Museum - First and oldest museum in Malaysia, established since 1886 by Sir Hugh Low.
Notable people
*
Anwar Fazal
Anwar Fazal (born 1941 in the village of Sungei Bayor, Perak, Malaysia) is a leading civil society activist in multiverse issues including consumer, health, environment, urban governance, heritage and peace. In 1982, he was awarded the Right Livel ...
, Born in Sungei Bayor (Selama) but resided in Taiping. Anwar is the founder and also Chairman of the Taiping Peace Initiative and various non-governmental organisations in Malaysia.
*
Felix Iruthayanathan
Felix may refer to:
* Felix (name), people and fictional characters with the name
Places
* Arabia Felix is the ancient Latin name of Yemen
* Felix, Spain, a municipality of the province Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, S ...
, Former owner of company
Technoprofit and first introduced WiFi calls to British company
EE Limited
EE is a British national mobile network operator and internet service provider, which is a brand within the BT Group. EE is the second-largest mobile network operator in the United Kingdom, with 26.1 million subscribers as of September 2 ...
*
Imee Ooi
Imee Ooi FRSA ( ; ) is a Chinese-Malaysian record producer, composer, and singer who composes and arranges music for classic Buddhist chant, mantra and dharani. She performs her compositions in Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan and Mandarin. In 1997 she ...
, music producer, composer, arranger and vocalist.
*
Lim Swee Aun
Tan Sri Dr. Lim Swee Aun (; 1 September 1915 – 13 August 1977) was a Malaysian Chinese politician from the Malaysian Chinese Association, and a Cabinet member.
Early life
The eldest son of Lim Tee Hooi and Foong Cheong Ngan, Swee Aun w ...
, Former Health Minister of Malaysia.
*
Uthaya Sankar SB
Uthaya Sankar SB (born Taiping, Perak) is a Malaysian writer who writes in Bahasa Malaysia.
Early life and education
Uthaya Sankar SB grew up in Lorong B, Aulong Lama village in Taiping, Perak, where the majority of people along the lane were ...
, Malaysian writer from Aulong Lama, Taiping.
*
Toh Chin Chye
Toh Chin Chye ( zh, s=杜进才, p=Dù Jìncái; 10 December 1921 – 3 February 2012) was a Singaporean politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1968. Toh is widely recognised as one of the founding fa ...
, Singaporean politician who served as the Deputy Prime Minister for Singapore.
Transportation
Rail
Taiping railway station
The Taiping railway station ( ms, Stesen keretapi Taiping; Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ستيسين کريتاڤي تايڤيڠ) is a Malaysian train station located at and named after the town of Taiping, Perak, Taiping, Perak.
Malaysia's first railwa ...
was the first operational train station in Malaysia. Originally, the station served the local tin mines, transporting ore to Port Weld (now
Kuala Sepetang
Kuala Sepetang ( Jawi: كوالا سيڤيتڠ; ) is a coastal town located in Larut, Matang and Selama District in northwestern Perak, Malaysia. It is also popularly known by English-speaking locals as Port Weld (Chinese: ) after a former Govern ...
) and mine workers to their dedicated settlements. In the 1930s, railway connections to major towns like
Ipoh
, image_map =
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, pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth
, pushpin_mapsize = 275px
, pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia
, coordinates ...
, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore started. The Taiping-Port Weld line was dismantled by
KTMB in the 1980s.
[''Malayan Railways 100 years 1885 – 1995'']
The station was previously served only by
KTM Intercity
KTM Intercity ( ms, KTM Antarabandar) are diesel-hauled intercity train services in Peninsular Malaysia, operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB). Services operate along the East Coast Line between Tumpat and Gemas and on towards JB S ...
trains, with a one-way trip to
KL Sentral
Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station (KL Sentral) is a transit-oriented development that houses the main railway station of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Opened on 16 April 2001, KL Sentral replaced the old Kuala Lumpur railway station as the ...
taking about six hours. Since 1 July 2015, the station is also served by
KTM ETS
The KTM ETS (commercially known as ETS, short for 'Electric Train Service') is an inter-city rail passenger service operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) using electric multiple-unit (EMU) trains. The KTM ETS is the second electric train service ...
's ETS Ekspres service, reducing travel times on the same route to about three hours. Taiping is also a stop on the ETS Transit service between
Ipoh
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak
, pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth
, pushpin_mapsize = 275px
, pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia
, coordinates ...
and
Padang Besar.
See also
*
Wesley Methodist Church, Taiping Perak
Taiping Wesley Methodist Church is located a church on Walker Road (Jalan Temenggong), Taiping, Malaysia. It is located near the Perak State Museum.
History
The Wesley Methodist Church was formed with a group of youths called "Epworth League." Th ...
References
External links
{{Authority control
Towns in Perak