Taiping is a beautiful town situated in the state of Perak in MALAYSIA. Formerly known as Klian Pauh, it was renamed Taiping to commemorate the end of the Larut War in 1874. With the signing of the Pangkor Treaty on the 20th of January 1874, Taiping emerged to be the major town in Perak.
Taiping comes from the Chinese word Tai-Peng which means ETERNAL PEACE. And indeed with the decision of the British government to make Taiping into their administration center, the once slow-paced town has been transformed into a busy and developed town compared to the others in that era.
Together with progress comes a string of historical firsts that has made Taiping into one of the oldest town in Malaysia.
Sekolah Menengah Darul Ridwan is also in Taiping.
Get details about Taiping
at http://www.oocities.org/Taiping2002/
Need a map of Taiping Location?
Go to http://www.ipoh-online.com.my/mapit
The following information taken from "Travel Times" (NST), 5-11 September 2001.
Taiping is just off the North-South Highway, 88km from Penang, 80km from Ipoh and 302km from Kuala Lumpur. Via the highway, it takes about an hour's drive from Ipoh. There are frequent bus services from ALL major towns in Peninsular Malaysia and even Singapore. Marked as the site for the country's first railway track, the train is, of course, a good choice of transportation to Taiping.
Taiping's Many Firsts
Dated as early as 1844, these 40 "firsts" are either in monuments or events:
1. Open tin mining activity in the peninsula (1844)
2. Hill resort - Maxwell Hill; now Bukit Larut (1844)
3. Swimming pool - Kolam Rennag Kemahkotaan (1870)
4. Mosque - Masjid Tengku Menteri (1870)
5. Rest house (1870)
6. Artillery warehouse (1870)
7. Magistrate court (1874)
8. Balai penghulu (1875)
9. Resident's house (1877)
10. Port - Port Weld (1877)
11. English school - Central School Kamunting (1878)
12. Police force team (1879)
13. Government offices (1879)
14. Telegraph and post office (1880)
15. Lake gardens - Taman Tasik Taiping (1880)
16. Hospital - private and government (1880)
17. Club - New Club (1880)
18. Railway station and warehouse (1881)
19. Museum - Muzium Negeri Perak (1883)
20. Market building - Taiping Market Square (1884)
21. Prison - Penjara Taiping (1885)
22. Railway track - Port Weld to Taiping (1885)
23. Turf Club - Perak Turf Club (1886)
24. Anglican church - Old Saints Church (1886)
25. English Girl's School - Treacher Girls' School (1889)
26. Clock tower - Menara Jam Besar (1890)
27. Esplanade - Padang Esplanade (1890)
28. Malay newspaper - Seri Perak (June 1893)
29. English newspaper - Perak Pioneer (4 July 1894)
30. Tamil newspaper - Perak Verthamani (1894)
31. Armed forces - Malay States Guides (1896)
32. Teaching college - Maktab Perguruan Melayu (1898-1900)
33. Ceylon Association (1899)
34. Punjabi Association - Khalsa Diwan Malaya Association (1903)
35. Indian association (1906)
36. Recreation park - Coronation Park (1920s)
37. Airfield - Padang Kapal Terbang Tekah (1930)
38. Golf course
39. Library - Perpustakaan Merdeka
40. Fire brigade
Do you have interesting facts about Taiping? Please send it to uthayasb@tm.net.my to be posted here.