Attention!!! Goooaallllll!!!

Salam and greeting.

Circa 1890

Squaaaad... Attention!!!
Eyeesss... Right!!!
Dreeesss...!!!
Squaaaad... Eyeesss... Front!!!
Salute to the Front... Salute.

The Commandant was at the top of his voice, giving clear and distinctly pronounced instructions. The troops under his arm listened up carefully on what are their next cause of action to be taken.

Well, that was the voice of the infamous Colonel Robert S.F. Walker, the Commandant of the Police and Military Forces. The venue was the Esplanade, an open ground that was established by him to discipline his troops with intensive marching parade exercise.

The troop of the Perak Armed Police were consisting mostly of Sikhs and Pathans recruits obeyed at each of the drill command coming out from their influential Commandant.They were the forces upholding the peace in the early establishment of Taiping when there was tensioned between the clans of Ghee Hin and Hai San.

Present Time

Prreeeeeeett!!!

The man in black was seen blowing high note from his whistle. The sudden sound made the battle between the two clans halted. One of the red clan members was seen making an offensive gesture towards the members of the blue clans.

The round object that were becoming the reason of this battle is being given by the man in black to the blue clan members. The red clans did not object to this just action, for having a fair battle to be fought by them. And with a magnificent kick given by the one of the blue clans member, the round object flies fast enough to penetrate the defender of the red clans restricted territory.

Prreeeeeeett!!!
And there was a unison yelled in the background...
Goooaaaaallllll!!!

The blue clan member who took the kick scored against the red clan in the soccer match in one of Taiping League games. It was not a bloody battle indeed but a game of soccer. The supporters were happy witnessing their favorite team scored.

Well, this is the Esplanade Field in two scenarios at a different time space. The open ground that was used as for marching parade training is at present Taiping very own 'square' consisting of soccer, hockey and rugby fields.

Having the near background of Jelutong Hill and the far background of Maxwell Hills, the open ground fronting the army camps are full of activities if the town need a venue for parade or sporting events. It will not disappoint the locals due the vast open ground available.

However today, the scenery of the marching parade of the army or the police can only be seen on a rare occasion. This may be during Merdeka Day celebration where it will involved others government and private agencies, schools and clubs parading through Taiping town for a joyous celebration.

A normal view would say the Esplanade is only a field, but it do have its part in Taiping history, from past, present and maybe in the future.

Heritages In A Heritage Itself

Salam and greeting.

It is no secret that Taiping is known as the Heritage Town. And a visit to this town would not be complete if there are no stopovers being made to the heritage structures available. However if the visiting time to Taiping is limited, there should be one heritage structure that should not be missed.




Generally known as Perak Museum, the building is being recognized as one of Taiping's invaluable heritage structure that still stands proudly till today. The original idea of having a museum was uttered by Sir Hugh Low who was the British Resident of Perak in 1883. The construction of the building took three years to be completed and when opened in 1886, the Perak Museum became the first museum in Malaysia's history.




With an English and Moorish influence in its design, Sir Hugh Low's idea of having a museum was to host historical materials, cultural artifacts, zoological specimens and herbarium of items from around Perak during his tenure as the British Resident. Thus in making his idea a successful one, he had appointed Mr. Leonard Wray Jr. as the museum's first curator. And as a botanist and geologist, Mr. Wray did a splendid job in making the museum a success.






Presently the museum is divided into several sections for the ease of its visitors. On the outside compound are the exhibits of transportation mode used locally. There is also a noticeable bronze statue of Colonel R.S.F Walker, considered one of the important characters in the early history of Taiping during the British Administration era.



The ground floor of the museum is divided into the three sections. The first section is the main hall which is just beyond the entrance where there is a display of the Malay Sultanate Throne replica. The second hall exhibits the zoological specimens from the jungles of Perak. The third section on the ground floor shows artifacts depicting the variety cultures and traditions of the people from Perak. While on the first floor, there are exhibits of artifacts belonging to the variety clans of Orang Asli that is available throughout Perak.





And indeed the Perak Museum is full of heritages in a heritage itself.

Here Lies Our Heroes...

Salam and greeting.

The morning was in drizled, drop by drop of raindrops sprinkling down at the foothill of Bukit Larut. The grey clouds were surrounding the sky as if a mourning sign nature shows to the departure of another hero for the episode. If it is in the USA, there will be a bugle or trumpet sound to the tune of Taps can be heard. But since Malaysia is one of the Commonwealth countries, most likely it was the tune of the Last Post being played. Stand smartly in their rows, the comrades putting up their hands for their last salute to their departed friend.




Well, that might be the last respect ceremony given to those being buried at the World War II Memorial Cemetery here in Taiping. They were some of those forgotten heroes that have died fighting and protecting our country during the tragic war episode. And some even are not from this country but they have done their part till their last drop of blood.




This cemetery was created after the end of Japanese Occupation in Malaya after the Second World War in 1945. The remnants of those soldiers that have died during the war were brought from the battlefields, numerous temporary burial grounds, villages and other civil cemeteries identified. They were reburied here with full respect and as remembrance for future generation.





The cemetery is separated into two parts by the Waterfall Road. If one were to head towards the foothill of Bukit Larut on this road, the left side of the cemetery is plots for Muslims and Gurkhas soldiers. While on the right side of the road are plots for Christians soldiers. The cemetery consists of over 850 plots all together and more than 500 plots are of whom that was unidentified.




The cemetery is being maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. They have kept a good track record of those who have been buried here or at any other World War Memorial Cemeteries around the world.




With that, Taiping Heritage Cult salutes to all those who had died fighting and protecting our country, regardless of who they are, what they were and where there were from. They make us to remember how hard it was in the early days of our nationhood and how we really need appreciate it.

May they all be in peace. God bless them.

The Building Where Fingers Wouldn't Stop Dancing

Tap... tap... tap... tap... taptap... tap... taptap... tap... ting.

Krrrrrrrr...

Taptap... tap... taptap... tap... tap...taptap... tap... ting.

Krrrrrrr...

Taptap... tap... taptap... tap... tap... taptap... tap... tap... taptap... ting.

Krrrrrrr...

Salam and greeting.

If words are melodious as it sounds, our first few lines will recall back a very familiar sound that is seldom heard nowadays. Even its newer similar type does not sound the same as its older relative used to be.

Well, this might be a familiar sound back then when one enters this building. The movement of the officers' fingers, dancing gracefully on the rusty but trustworthy typewriter in this grand Government Office building in Taiping. Characters tapped, one after another, forming words and sentences, officiating letters and documents that have changed people's or even the Taiping town itself.

The building complex was designed by Francis Caulfield, one of the State Engineer in the early Perak Administrative office. Its construction started in 1892 and was completed and opened in 1897. It featured a distinctive Palladian facade and rooftop's pediments. Initially the building housed Council Chamber, Offices for the Secretariat, Treasury, Audit, Education and Forest Departments.

Currently the building is being occupied by Larut Matang and Selama Land and District office. And as its previous roles, the building becomes the administrative center for Larut Matang and Selama district, where Taiping is part of it. Day in and day out with fails people coming to this building to settle their whores.

And with that, even though the sound of the dancing fingers on the typewriter have now extinct , but with its newer relatives the keyboard, the fingers still continue to dance as long as people are here in this  strong and majestic building.