A miner town, a major influence
Each time I visit Sungai Lembing, the small town where I was born and raised, I am plunged into nostalgia.
I also grapple with mixed emotions. I am happy to see signs of development in this rustic corner of the world; at the same time, I am moved to tears at the sight of old, familiar buildings that are as yet untouched by the hand of progress.
Many of the semi-wooden buildings lining the main road have remained almost the same since the 1970s, and the old petrol pump and postal box are still standing where they have always stood.
My job transfer to Kuantan as New Straits Times Press photo coordinator last year was indeed a blessing. I am now able to visit my birthplace more often as it is only about 45km from Kuantan.
Sungai Lembing holds many memories for me. I was the only child in the family who was born there.
When I was growing up, Sungai Lembing was a busy mining town.
My father was one of the senior miners and our family lived in the centre of a populous residential area designated for mine workers.
The mines were run by British company Pahang Consolidated Company Ltd, which provided the workers with facilities and conveniences such as free electricity and water supply.
I can still remember thinking how lucky we were to have all that when other folk had only oil lamps for light and had to dig their own wells for water.
Power supply at home, even if it was limited to 12 hours a day, was something to brag about in school.
From what I had gathered from listening to my father and his miner friends, a variety of mining methods, including the sculpting method, was used in Sungai Lembing.
I am happy that the authorities have preserved the old buildings in Sungai Lembing, which was declared to be a Malaysian Cultural Heritage in 2007.
These buildings today serve various new purposes. Some house workers and some are club houses. Some are even cinemas and some have swimming pools. The point is, they are still standing.
At the height of the tin-mining industry, the mine workers and their families owned branded goods shipped directly from London.
Luxury brands such as Clarks and Polo were available at a hypermarket called "Gudang".
This Gudang sold exclusively to the mine workers and their families. A copper token resembling the 50 sen coin served as identification.
The mining company was concerned about health and hygiene and had set up a hospital for the workers. They also fogged the workers' quarters once a week to keep them mosquito-free.
The opportunities opened up by the mining industry had attracted folk from all over the country, including Sabah and Sarawak, to Sungai Lembing.
My late father had come all the way from his hometown in Pekan.
He told me that Sungai Lembing was established in 1887, and those who wanted to see the relics from the mining days need only to visit the Sungai Lembing Museum, which is located on a hill in the middle of the mining area.
Although the mines have been closed for almost 20 years, one can still see the remnants left behind.
The most obvious are the tunnels, some of which are said to be over 10km long.
The curious can still experience the life of a miner at the museum, which has opened several sections of the tunnel to visitors.
Sadly, Sungai Lembing's golden era lasted for only a century. It ended in the mid-1980s, when the mining company decided to cease operations in view of the dropping tin prices in the world. Many workers left or joined the Felda scheme.
However, the story of the tin mines in Sungai Lembing is being well preserved in the living museum.
Sungai Lembing's deep and colourful history can be glimpsed through the museum's artifacts that include locomotives, mining equipment, clothing and important documents.
While it may be difficult for the generation of today to understand the hardships of the tin miners, the former glory of Sungai Lembing can be envisioned easily enough with just a visit to the former mining town.
Some old homes have been converted into quaint rest houses catering to those in search of a quiet weekend getaway.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Each time I visit Sungai Lembing, the small town where I was born and raised, I am plunged into nostalgia.
I also grapple with mixed emotions. I am happy to see signs of development in this rustic corner of the world; at the same time, I am moved to tears at the sight of old, familiar buildings that are as yet untouched by the hand of progress.
Many of the semi-wooden buildings lining the main road have remained almost the same since the 1970s, and the old petrol pump and postal box are still standing where they have always stood.
My job transfer to Kuantan as New Straits Times Press photo coordinator last year was indeed a blessing. I am now able to visit my birthplace more often as it is only about 45km from Kuantan.
Sungai Lembing holds many memories for me. I was the only child in the family who was born there.
When I was growing up, Sungai Lembing was a busy mining town.
My father was one of the senior miners and our family lived in the centre of a populous residential area designated for mine workers.
The mines were run by British company Pahang Consolidated Company Ltd, which provided the workers with facilities and conveniences such as free electricity and water supply.
I can still remember thinking how lucky we were to have all that when other folk had only oil lamps for light and had to dig their own wells for water.
Power supply at home, even if it was limited to 12 hours a day, was something to brag about in school.
From what I had gathered from listening to my father and his miner friends, a variety of mining methods, including the sculpting method, was used in Sungai Lembing.
I am happy that the authorities have preserved the old buildings in Sungai Lembing, which was declared to be a Malaysian Cultural Heritage in 2007.
These buildings today serve various new purposes. Some house workers and some are club houses. Some are even cinemas and some have swimming pools. The point is, they are still standing.
At the height of the tin-mining industry, the mine workers and their families owned branded goods shipped directly from London.
Luxury brands such as Clarks and Polo were available at a hypermarket called "Gudang".
This Gudang sold exclusively to the mine workers and their families. A copper token resembling the 50 sen coin served as identification.
The mining company was concerned about health and hygiene and had set up a hospital for the workers. They also fogged the workers' quarters once a week to keep them mosquito-free.
The opportunities opened up by the mining industry had attracted folk from all over the country, including Sabah and Sarawak, to Sungai Lembing.
My late father had come all the way from his hometown in Pekan.
He told me that Sungai Lembing was established in 1887, and those who wanted to see the relics from the mining days need only to visit the Sungai Lembing Museum, which is located on a hill in the middle of the mining area.
Although the mines have been closed for almost 20 years, one can still see the remnants left behind.
The most obvious are the tunnels, some of which are said to be over 10km long.
The curious can still experience the life of a miner at the museum, which has opened several sections of the tunnel to visitors.
Sadly, Sungai Lembing's golden era lasted for only a century. It ended in the mid-1980s, when the mining company decided to cease operations in view of the dropping tin prices in the world. Many workers left or joined the Felda scheme.
However, the story of the tin mines in Sungai Lembing is being well preserved in the living museum.
Sungai Lembing's deep and colourful history can be glimpsed through the museum's artifacts that include locomotives, mining equipment, clothing and important documents.
While it may be difficult for the generation of today to understand the hardships of the tin miners, the former glory of Sungai Lembing can be envisioned easily enough with just a visit to the former mining town.
Some old homes have been converted into quaint rest houses catering to those in search of a quiet weekend getaway.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
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