Taiping, Perak
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Taiping () is a town located in
Larut, Matang and Selama District The Larut, Matang and Selama District is a district of Perak, Malaysia. Taiping (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 distri ...
,
Perak Perak (; Perak Malay: ''Peghok'') is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, 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, Kel ...
,
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
. It is located approximately northwest of
Ipoh Ipoh (, ) is the capital city of the Malaysian States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Perak. Located on the Kinta River, it is nearly north of Kuala Lumpur and southeast of George Town, Penang, George Town in neighbouring Penang ...
, the capital of
Perak Perak (; Perak Malay: ''Peghok'') is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, 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, Kel ...
, and southeast of George Town,
Penang Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...
. With a population of 245,182 (in 2013), it is the second largest town in Perak after
Ipoh Ipoh (, ) is the capital city of the Malaysian States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Perak. Located on the Kinta River, it is nearly north of Kuala Lumpur and southeast of George Town, Penang, George Town in neighbouring Penang ...
, the state capital. Taiping took over
Kuala Kangsar Kuala Kangsar (Perak Malay: ) 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 George Town, Penang, Ge ...
'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 is located in the town. Taiping also receives some limelight for being the wettest town in
Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia, historically known as Malaya and also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, is the western part of Malaysia that comprises the southern part of the Malay Peninsula on Mainland Southeast Asia and the list of isla ...
. Its average annual rainfall of about 4,000 mm has led to fertile flora and rain trees in the Taiping Lake Gardens. Taiping was ranked in the Top 3 Sustainable Cities in the world.


History

The area developed quickly in the 19th century when
tin Tin is a chemical element; it has symbol Sn () and atomic number 50. A silvery-colored 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, a bar of tin makes a sound, the ...
was discovered. The mines attracted large numbers of settlers, particularly Chinese. 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 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. 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 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 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 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 (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 Society (義興私會黨) and the
Hakka The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka-speaking Chinese, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas, are a southern Han Chinese subgroup whose principal settlements and ancestral homes are dispersed widely across the provinces of southern China ...
Hai San society. Many
Hakka The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka-speaking Chinese, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas, are a southern Han Chinese subgroup whose principal settlements and ancestral homes are dispersed widely across the provinces of southern China ...
had fled China when the
Taiping Rebellion The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a civil war in China between the Qing dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The conflict lasted 14 years, from its outbreak in 1850 until the fall of ...
broke out there and found work in the mines of Chung Keng Quee establishing his position over the mining area in Larut as leader of the Hai San 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 of Perak Mr. James Wheeler Woodford Birch at Pasir Salak in 1875. In 1937, the capital of Perak was moved from Taiping to
Ipoh Ipoh (, ) is the capital city of the Malaysian States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Perak. Located on the Kinta River, it is nearly north of Kuala Lumpur and southeast of George Town, Penang, George Town in neighbouring Penang ...
. 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 remains an important industry in the area, as do rubber and rice.


Geography

Taiping lies 23m above sea level situated on a plain to the west of the Bintang Mountains.
Perak Perak (; Perak Malay: ''Peghok'') is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, 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, Kel ...
's capital city,
Ipoh Ipoh (, ) is the capital city of the Malaysian States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Perak. Located on the Kinta River, it is nearly north of Kuala Lumpur and southeast of George Town, Penang, George Town in neighbouring Penang ...
, is approximately southeast of the town, while George Town, the capital city of the neighbouring state of
Penang Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...
, 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 of rainfall. The average annual rainfall is about in Taiping while the peninsula's average is –. Its unusual rainfall has also led to a fertile collection of flora and century-old rain trees in the Taiping Lake Gardens.


Government

The Taiping Municipal Council 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, borough cou ...
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 (; Jawi: ), abbreviated SPR or EC, is a commission set up for ensuring fair and equitable operations in undertaking the elections in Malaysia. The agency falls under the purview of the Prime Minister's Depa ...
, there are two parliamentary and six state
constituencies An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...
(DUN) dividing the township. There are Taiping parliamentary seat, Aulong, Pokok Assam 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 parliamentary seat,
Terong Terong ( Jawi: تروڠ; zh, 直弄), also spelled Trong, is a mukim in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia. Situated on the western foothills of the Bintang Mountains, Terong is famous for the quality of its water and the pr ...
, Kuala Sepetang and
Changkat Jering Changkat Jering (Jawi language, Jawi: چڠكت جريڠ) is a small town in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia. It connects Taiping to the North–South Expressway (Malaysia), North–South Expressway via the southern exit, as w ...
state seat.


Demographics

Taiping has traditionally been a Chinese majority which is still retained to date. The Chinese make up 46%, followed by Malays at 40%, and Indians at 12%. Others constitute 1% 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, and Treacher Methodist Girls' School.


Attractions

* 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, Perak, Taiping. It was established under the direction of British colonists in 1884 as a place of observation for tin mining a ...
(''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. * All Saints' Church - The first church in the
Federated Malay States The Federated Malay States (FMS, , Jawi script, Jawi: ) was a federation of four protectorate, protected states in the Malay Peninsula — Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang — established in 1895 by the British government, and whi ...
, founded in 1886.


Notable people

* Anwar Fazal, 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. * Imee Ooi, music producer, composer, arranger and vocalist. * Lim Swee Aun, Former Health Minister of Malaysia. * Uthaya Sankar SB, Malaysian writer from Aulong Lama, Taiping. *
Toh Chin Chye Toh Chin Chye ( zh, s=杜进才, p=Dù Jìncái, poj=Tō͘ Chìn-châi; 10 December 1921 – 3 February 2012) was a Singaporean statesman and academic who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1968. Toh is widely ...
, Singaporean politician who served as the Deputy Prime Minister for Singapore.


Transportation


Rail

Taiping railway station was the first operational train station in Malaysia. Originally, the station served the local tin mines, transporting ore to Port Weld (now Kuala Sepetang) and mine workers to their dedicated settlements. In the 1930s, railway connections to major towns like
Ipoh Ipoh (, ) is the capital city of the Malaysian States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Perak. Located on the Kinta River, it is nearly north of Kuala Lumpur and southeast of George Town, Penang, George Town in neighbouring Penang ...
, 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 () 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 Sentral on the Wes ...
trains, with a one-way trip to KL Sentral taking about six hours. Since 1 July 2015, the station is also served by KTM ETS'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 Ipoh (, ) is the capital city of the Malaysian States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Perak. Located on the Kinta River, it is nearly north of Kuala Lumpur and southeast of George Town, Penang, George Town in neighbouring Penang ...
and Padang Besar. The station is also served by the KTM Komuter Northern Sector.


Bus

2 major public bus companies serve Taiping, and provide affordable and convenient connections to nearby towns. Blue Omnibus operates routes to coastal Kuala Sepetang (77), traditional craft hub Beruas (76), Pantai Remis (75), and industrial Sri Manjung - Lumut (84). Red Omnibus serves the royal town of
Kuala Kangsar Kuala Kangsar (Perak Malay: ) 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 George Town, Penang, Ge ...
(54), agricultural Batu Kurau, historical border town Parit Buntar (8), and Selama (2).


See also

* Wesley Methodist Church, Taiping Perak


References


External links

{{Authority control Towns in Perak