Historical tour

Life has returned to normal after the May 13th incident, but the country will carry forever a scare in its history. Perhaps politics are to be blamed, or is it an inevitable evolution of the human kind. Daniel received a letter from the British Museum informing him that the University of London’s anthropology undergraduate studies would only commence in January instead of September. “Oh dear me, January will be cold. I will be frozen to death!”, Daniel lamented. “Well, might as well take the time off to travel round the country with Janet. I want to know more about the country’s historical past before leaving”, Daniel thought to himself. So during the next few months, Daniel and Janet , in between her medical studies, spent their holidays together , travelling around the country. Daniel brought his diary along. He recorded the places he and Janet had visited. He is fascinated by the diverse culture and rich historical background of the country. His diary described some of places he and Janet had visited.
Fraser’s Hill
I always wonder why certain places in the country have foreign sounding names such Fraser’s Hill, Cameron Highlands, Port Swettenham, etc. I now learned that Fraser’s Hill was actually discovered by a Scottish gentleman named Louis James Fraser in the early 19th century. James Fraser was a Scottish pioneer who set up a tin-ore trading post in the 1890s. He was an accountant by profession who had travelled to Australia at the peak of the gold rush and then on to Malaya, hoping to strike gold at what was known as Ulu Tras. He did not find gold as anticipated but found plenty of tin deposits instead. Chinese miners were called upon to extract the tin which was then hauled by mules through thick jungle along perilous hill route to the nearest town, Raub. After living on the Hill for 25 years, Fraser mysteriously disappeared in 1917. That poor fellow was never found. Wonder what happened to him.
Fraser's Hill is situated 1,500 metres above sea-level on the Titiwangsa mountain range of Peninsula Malaysia. The earlier British community came up to Fraser’s Hill for a cool retreat from the humility of the lowlands at the time when Malaya was still a colony of the British Empire. Favourite pastimes are golfing, horseback riding and bird-watching. Horseback riding is an ideal way to explore the hill. Buildings are Colonial-styled bungalows with many turned into resorts to accommodate guests for the weekends. There are waterfalls that brim with crystal-clear mountain water round the hills.
Cameron Highlands
Cameron Highlands is situated about 300km from Kuala Lumpur and 1,500 meters above sea level. It is Malaysia’s largest and top highland resort destination. It is surrounded by lush untouched greenery with a climate reminiscent of a cool spring day, a perfect place to get away from the pressures of the city. Cameron Highlands was founded by William Cameron, a British government surveyor while on a mapping expedition in 1885. During the colonial era, Cameron Highlands was very popular among the British soldiers stationed in then Malaya. The buildings are mainly tutor architecture style. Tea plantations with soothing greenery and breathtaking scenery, strawberry farms, butterfly parks and mossy forest are all found here. An old English favourite pastime of having afternoon tea and scones with Devonshire cream can be seen in the lawns of some of the black and white tutor style bungalows. Many British decided to make it their retirement homes in Cameron Highlands. With the cool climate, it is the perfect place to grow tea and vegetables. No wonder I often hear of wet market vegetable sellers in Kuala Lumpur boasting their vegetables are fresh and tasty because they come from the Cameron Highlands.
This highland landscape is made up of a series of little townships which include Ringlet, Tanah Rata, Brinchang, Tringkap, Kuala Terla and Kampung Raja. Ringlet is one of the main agricultural hubs in the highlands. Tanah Rata is the administrative hub of Cameron Highlands where most of the government offices and most of the chalets, lodges and backpacker’s accommodations are located. Another town in Cameron Highlands is Brinchang, which is about 10 minutes drive from Tanah Rata, where you can find most of the smaller hotels and food outlets.
Tea plantations are the main tourist attraction of Cameron Highlands. Tea plantations carpet the surrounding valleys in a fine layer of yellow green tea leaves, and most of them are open to tourists and visitors to purchase tea bags and watch the workers there plucking tea as well as enjoy a simmering hot cup of tea with scones. It was tea that William Cameron saw potential and founded this valley. Three most popular tea plantations are Boh Tea Plantation, Sungai Palas Tea Plantation and Cameron Valley Tea Plantation.
Strawberry farms can be found almost everywhere in Cameron Highlands and all are open for visitors. The farms offer locally grown strawberries and home made strawberry jams or tarts at a reasonable price. The best season to enjoy strawberries is the driest month which is from April to June. There are so many different species of beautiful butterflies flying around in a butterfly farm and butterfly garden.
Malacca
Malacca was founded by a Srivijavan prince from Palembang called Parameswara around the year 1400, who fled Sumatra following a Majapahit attack. He established Malacca as a major international port by compelling passing ships to call there and establishing fair and reliable facilities for warehousing and trade. Because of its increasing trade and prosperity, Malacca was invaded by the Siamese. Relations between Malacca and China were developed during this period which was seen as a strategic decision to ward off further Siamese attacks. During this period, the famous Chinese admiral Zheng He came calling with his fleet. Legend had it that Hang Li Po, allegedly a princess of the Ming emperor of China married Sultan Manshur Shah who reigned from 1456 until 1477. During its prime, Malacca was a powerful Sultanate which extended its rule over the southern Malay Peninsula and much of Sumatra. Malacca was also central in the spread of Islam in the Malay Archipelago.
In 1511 Malacca was conquered by the Portuguese Alfonso de Albuquerque. It then became a strategic base for Portuguese expansion in the East Indies. The A Famosa fort was built by the Portuguese to defend Malacca. The Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier spent several months in Malacca in 1545, 1546 and 1559. The Portuguese ruled Malacca for 130 years. A few stayed behind and formed a fishing community that has lasted till today. As devout Catholics, they celebrate various festivals dedicated to their religion which can be witnessed throughout the year in their settlement, the Portuguese Square. Over the years, the Portuguese intermarried with the local population and are now collectively referred to as Portuguese-Eurasian or 'Kristang', but they still maintain their traditional surnames such as 'Sequiera' and 'Lopez'. Usually, they speak a distinct language which is a Creole, which is a fusion of two languages, based on Portuguese and Malay.
In 1641 the Dutch defeated the Portuguese to capture Malacca with the help of the Sultan of Johore. The Dutch ruled Malacca from 1641 to 1785. The Dutch were not interested in developing Malacca as a trading centre, it placed greater importance to Jakarta in Indonesia as their administrative centre. They built their landmark better known as the Stadthuys or Red Building. Malacca was ceded to the British in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 in exchange for Bencoolen on Sumatra. From 1828 to 1946 Malacca was governed first by the British East India Company and then as a Crown Colony. It formed part of the Straits Settlements, together with Singapore and Penang.
The Baba Nyonyas of Malacca are descendants from Chinese migrants who first came to Malacca many centuries ago. There are also referred to as 'Straits Chinese'. Most are said to be of Hokkien ancestry. 'Babas' refer to male Peranakans while 'Nyonya' refer to females. In terms of dressing, the women wear traditional Malay costumes, notably the 'Baju Kebaya' , a form of blouse woven with silk. Foot-binding, a practice carried over from China, used to be common among the affluent folk but over the centuries, it is no longer practised. The Babas famous legacy is the Nyonya food which is a fusion of Malay ingredients with Chinese cooking styles. Some of the most popular dishes include 'Belacan', 'Assam Laksa', 'Cendol' and 'Kuih Talam'. They speak a dialect of the Malay language called 'Baba Malay' which has some elements of the Hokkien language. Their most notable musical entertainment form is the 'Dondang Sayang'; or 'Love Song' where Babas and Nyonyas exchanged poems in a humorous style, accompanied by a violin, accordion and traditional instruments; the Rebana and Gong.
Penang
Penang was founded by Portuguese traders in the 16th century. They sailed from Goa, India to the Far East in search of spices found a small island which they named it Pulo Pinaom. Penang is situated at the northern entry to the Straits of Malacca which provided a sheltered harbour for Chinese, Indian, Arabian and European ships during the monsoon months. One of the very first Englishman to reach Penang was the merchant-navigator Sir James Lancaster. He served under Sir Francis Drake as commander of the Edward Bonadventure. Penang was ceded to the British East India Company in 1786 by the Sultan of Kedah in exchange for military protection from Siamese and Burmese armies. In the same year Captain Francis Light known as the founder of Penang hoisted the Union Jack and renamed it Prince of Wales in honour to the heir to the British throne. Penang was the first British possession in the Malay States and Southeast Asia. Francis Light died of malaria in 1794. He was buried at the Protestant cemetery at the end of Northam Road. His son William Light went on to found the city of Adelaide in Australia. Penang, along with Malacca and Singapore became part of the Straits Settlements in 1826. It was under the British administration in India. George Town became the capital of the Straits Settlement.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 greatly expanded British trade with the Far East. It was the era of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain. Penang prospered through the exports of tin and rubber which fed the British Industrial Revolution. Penang’s prosperity attracted many ethnic groups such as from far and wide. Their legacies can be found in places which named after them for example, Burma Road, Rangoon Road, Siam Road, Armenian Street, Acheen Street, Gottlieb Road, Katz Street and the Jewish Cemetery.
The Chinese constituted the largest migrant group. There were traders, carpenters, masons, smiths, shopkeepers and planters. They also specialized in the production and trade of tin. The Indian migrants were Chulias, people from the Coromandel Coast of India. They were mainly shopkeepers and farm labourers. They were hardworking and thrifty. They did not intend to settle permanently in Penang. They would work for long enough to save money and then return to their families in south India. Another class of Indian migrants was known as Nattukottai Chettiars who came from the Kaveri delta areas of the Ramnad district of Madras. They were mainly money-lenders by profession. The Chettiars aided merchants, miners and planters by advancing the much needed working capital. Many Telugu migrants from the northern Coromandel Coast came to Penang as families. Many did not leave when their work permits expired and continued working in plantations or merchants.
Penang is a melting pot of Malaysian cultures. It boasted a tradition of religious tolerance and thus achieved social stability in a multi-racial society.
East Coast
The East Coast of Malaysia is largely rural and comparatively poor. It comprises the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johore. It is relatively less populated and sports some of Malaysia’s best beaches and clearest waters. The unspoiled islands offer excellent scuba diving and snorkeling experience. The East Coast is culturally conservative with strict enforcement of Islamic law. In Terengganu and Kelantan the weekend runs from Friday to Saturday, with shops and banks closed on Friday but everything opens normally on Sunday. The economy is largely based on agriculture. Climate is highly seasonal, with strong monsoon winds and rains lashing the coast between November and February. Most resorts on the islands shut down during this period. The high season is April to October, with June to August being the busiest months.
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur was founded in 1857. Its name derived from the junction of the Gombak and Klang rivers. The history of Kuala Lumpur began in the middle of the 19th century with the rise of the tin extraction industry. The settlement started when a member of the Selangor Royal Family, Raja Abdullah opened up the Klang Valley for tin prospectors. Chinese prospectors went up the river Klang and began prospecting in the Ampang area which was then jungle. The British appointed a Chinese headman, called Kapitan Cina, to administer the settlement and ensure law and order. The first Kapitan Cina was Hiu Siew. It was the third Kapitan Cina who oversaw the rise of Kuala Lumpur from a sleepy little mining town to become the foremost city of Selangor. His name was Kapitan Cina Yap Ah Loy.
Sir Frank Swettenham was appointed Resident of Selangor. He was responsible for making Kuala Lumpur the seat of administration of Selangor. Japanese forces captured Kuala Lumpur on January 11, 1942 and occupied the city for 44 months. All English and Chinese schools were ordered to close down and every morning in schools, the Japanese National Anthem had to be sung to show loyalty to the Japanese Emperor. In 1957 Malaya achieved independence from the British rule when the first Malayan flag was raised on the grounds of the cricket field, Merdeka Square by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the country’s first Prime Minister.