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Perak, the Land of Grace, has long been renowned for its
tin deposits. In fact, its name "Perak", which means silver in Malay, is derived
from the silvery tin ore that was found and mined in abundance here until the turn of the
century. The state of Perak is subdivided into 9 districts and covers an area of 21,000
sq. km, with a population that exceeds 2 million. Major towns include Taiping, Teluk
Intan, Lumut, Sitiawan, and Kuala Kangsar, the royal town, while Ipoh City is the state
capital and administrative center.
In its early years, Perak underwent much turmoil and
strife. Rich in deposits, it was an attractive target for foreign domination. It was first
ravaged by the Achinese in the 16th Century, then the Bugis, followed by the Dutch, and
finally by the British at the turn of the 19th Century. The growing importance of tin in
the world market brought about an influx of Chinese immigrants into the rich Larut
minefields. This, however, resulted in the destabilization of the traditional Malay policy
in the Kinta River Valley. The situation took a turn for the worst in the 1870s when the
state was torn by a royal dispute over succession to the throne and war in Larut broke out
between feuding Chinese miners. This was eventually settled by British intervention
through the Pangkor Treaty of 1874. Hence the state came under British control.
Tin may have lost its predominance over the state's
economy, yet it has nonetheless played a major role in the early development of Perak and
its many towns. Since then, Perak has progressed steadily by attracting foreign
industrialists who have set up factories in various parts of the state. Its sound
infrastructure and facilities of international standard make it an ideal environment for
business enterprise. Today, this ever harmonious state is vibrant and thriving with
bustling townships. Ipoh, its capital, an originally obscure village with dilapidated
buildings, has grown to become one of the largest cities in Malaysia.
Traveling through Perak is an experience by itself as
visitors will be treated to an environment, which is complemented with tropical
rainforests, hills, rubber plantations, tin mines, and more. This is a journey that will
take you through small towns whose characters have not changed since their mining days.
Besides these, visitors will also be able to see unending fruit orchards for Perak is a
major fruit growing region in the area. A trip here is never complete without a taste of
the luscious pomelos - a sweet and juicy citrus fruit that is usually the size of a soccer
ball and grown exclusively in the state. Pomelos are a must during major Chinese
festivals. Furthermore, on the outskirts of Ipoh lies the little town of Menglembu, which
is renown around the world for its brand of groundnuts, although no longer found in this
area.
Hence, whilst remaining very much a business center,
Perak offers the visitor everything that one would want, from history, culture, nature and
adventure to its ever charming hospitality.
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