NEWS
Once a Bustling Trading Hub, This Historic Village in Perak Now Home to Just 10 Residents
Back in the 19th century, Kampung Bandar, a village situated on the banks of the Perak River, was once a key trading route. However, as time passed and life went on, the once bustling village is now home to only 10 residents.
According to the Village Development and Security Committee chairman Azman Basir, there are four women and six men aged between 30 and 80 living in six wooden houses in the village.
Said Azman, the problem with the declining number of residents at the village arose as Kampung Bandar is frequently affected by floods during the monsoon season.
Although the wooden houses in Kampung Bandar were built high above the ground, severe floods in 1964 and 2014 saw water levels rise as high as five feet, forcing many to leave.
Despite the relocation, Azman said, some of them still return as they work in palm oil plantations and as inland fishermen.
There were plans to turn the village into a tourist attraction
As Kampung Bandar has a rich history, the villagers are working on attracting visitors to the village.
There are still some historical buildings still standing, and one of them is the Al-Madinah Mosque that was built in 1890.
The area was once a centre of state governance, and it's also the burial site of the 15th Perak Sultan, Sultan Iskandar Dzuklarnain, and the 21st Sultan, Sultan Shahabuddin Riayat Shah. Both the burial sites were located at Pulau Indera Sakti and Kampung Tanjung Penangguh, respectively, within the village subdistrict.
Aside from that, Kampung Bandar is also home to the tomb of the first Perak Mufti, Muhammad Zain Muhammad Amin.
While many 19th-century buildings in the village have been relocated to Bukit Chawi (about seven kilometres away), there is still one government building which now has been repurposed into Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Bandar. Currently, the school has seven teachers and 10 pupils who mostly live in Bukit Chawi.
Featured Image Credit: Harian Metro
Featured Image Credit: Harian Metro