Conserving Papan, Perak’s near-forgotten town

Name: Conserving Papan, Perak’s near-forgotten town
Uploaded: 2023-08-08T16:25:52+00:00
Duration: 3 min 58 s
Channel: Free Malaysia Today

Free Malaysia Today

last year

Once a bustling tin-mining town with over 2,000 residents, Papan whispers tales of a vibrant past in Perak.

Presented by: Theevya Ragu

Read More: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2023/08/09/papan-peraks-near-forgotten-town/

Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.

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#FMTLifestyle #Perak #Papan #KintaValley

Transcript

Display full video transcript

00:00 Have you ever dreamt of experiencing the country's rich history firsthand?

00:08 The quiet town of Papan, located in the heart of Perak, is your gateway to Malaysia's past.

00:22 Today Papan may seem quiet, but this quaint town was once home to over 2,000 residents.

00:29 To learn more about its history, FMT Lifestyle visits the Papan Heritage Gallery to meet

00:34 with Jackie Chew Seng Leong, head of the Papan Heritage Conservation Group.

00:40 Contrary to its name, Papan's roots to the timber industry are debatable.

00:44 Instead, this town was one of the earliest tin mining settlements in the Kinta Valley,

00:49 attracting migrants from all over.

00:51 "Papan is one of the most prosperous towns in Kinta Valley, together with Koping also.

01:02 So Papan was thriving until the year of 1920.

01:08 So about this 20, 30 years, Papan is one of the busiest towns in the Kinta Valley."

01:16 But as the demand for tin dwindled across Malaya in the early 1900s, Papan experienced

01:22 a sharp decline in both population and commercial activity.

01:27 And with Ipoh growing in popularity, many chose to relocate to the state capital.

01:33 But Papan's history extends far beyond being a tin mining town.

01:37 Chew reveals that it was also the site of a former World War II clinic.

01:42 Known as No. 74 Main Street, it was run by Sibyl Katigasu, who, along with her physician

01:49 husband, provided medical aid to resistance fighters during the Japanese occupation.

01:54 For her efforts, she was awarded the George Medal for bravery.

01:59 Although many of the buildings in Papan are worn down, several monuments dating back more

02:04 than a century still stand strong.

02:07 Perched on a slight hill is the Grand Istana Raja Bila.

02:11 Hence the town's administrative house, which was completed in 1896 by local chief

02:17 Raja Bila.

02:18 And nearby stands Masjid Lama Papan, one of the oldest mosques in Perak, which was completed

02:24 in 1888.

02:27 Through the Papan Heritage Group, Chew is eager to preserve the uniqueness of the town

02:32 and promote its rich history as its strongest selling point.

02:35 "Papan is so rich of history.

02:38 So many things that people like to see, I myself love Papan.

02:42 Why?

02:43 Because of all the, I say, the faked away history feeling, all the remnants, old buildings

02:49 feeling that you cannot find anywhere.

02:53 So that's why I say, why don't we try to revive this old town?"

02:58 In fact, it is the old folks who still live here who largely help with their conservation

03:02 efforts as many of the artifacts in the Papan Heritage Gallery were donated by them.

03:08 One such person is 88-year-old Lau Chuen Yau, who has lived in the town for the past 70

03:14 years.

03:15 "I am very happy to see you all here.

03:16 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:17 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:18 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:19 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:20 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:21 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:22 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:23 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:24 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:25 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:26 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:27 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:28 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:29 I am very happy to see you all here.

03:30 I am very happy to see you all here."

03:31 With the dedication of the Papan Heritage Conservation Group, this near-forgotten town

03:36 has been given a new breath of life.

03:38 So don't miss the opportunity to visit Papan on your next trip to Pera to embark on a journey

03:43 through time.

03:44 Tiveragu, FMT Lifestyle.

03:45 [Music]

03:55 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Conserving Papan, Perak’s near-forgotten town

Transcript

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