UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT NAME OF NEW VILLAGE: LAHAT 拿乞 PERAK

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1 UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT NAME OF NEW VILLAGE: LAHAT 拿乞 PERAK Project carried out by: Name of student ID Number Course Year/ Trimester 1. Lim Yook Sai Foundation In Arts Y1S3 2. Lee Zhe Yuan Foundation In Arts Y1S3 3. Tang Juan Liang Foundation In Arts Y1S3 4. Chew Cheng Yee Foundation In Arts Y1S3 DATE OF COMPLETION: OCTOBER 2011

2 ABSTRACT Kampung Lahat new village is located at the southern end of Ipoh city near the junction of Jalan Pengkalan and Jalan Lahat. The village is split into two parts by Jalan Pengkalan. The population in the new village consists of about 100 households with an average of 4 persons per household. Kampung Lahat has no special tourist attraction and does not have any special local products like good food and delicacies. However, it is well known for its scenic beauty. The population of the village consists of Chinese who form the majority and a small group of Sikhs.

3 HISTORY AND BACKGROUND Kampung Lahat new village is located at the southern end of Ipoh city near the junction of Jalan Pengkalan and Jalan Lahat. The new village is split into two parts by Jalan Pengkalan. It takes about 45 minutes to travel from Kampar town to reach the new village. Kampung Lahat already existed before the 2 nd World War. When the communist insurgency supported by China became a serious threat to the peace and harmony in Malaya after the surrender of Japan in 1945, the British used the strategy of grouping the rural Chinese population into new villages. This strategy was taken to prevent the rural Chinese from giving supplies to the communist insurgents. Kampung Lahat new village was one of these new groupings in Perak state. According to the village headman Mr. Goh Kar Fatt, it was recorded that Dr. Sun Yat Sun, the Father of modern China, visited Lahat village during the decline of the Ching Dynasty in China to raise fund for his fight against the Manchus. Dr. Sun Yat Sun held a meeting with the locals in the Hwa Chiew primary school. Signboard of Lahat New Village

4 Interview session with the headman of Lahat New village, Mr. Goh Kar Fatt. Tour around the village with headman of the village.

5 POPULATION Mr. Goh Kar Fatt, aged 57 is the present headman of the new village. The population in the new village consists of about 100 households with an average of 4 persons per household. Cantonese is the dominant dialect in Kampung Lahat. The local Chinese population worship at an ancient grand temple called Lik Sing Kong located about 1 km from the new village. There is a small temple in the new village itself. The small temple belongs to the Chinese community. The grand temple Lik Sing Kong located about 1 km from the village. Important festival and social activities of the village are held here.

6 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES Just like most of the other new villages, its population consists mostly of elderly people. The young ones have gone to seek jobs in big towns because there is very little job opportunity in the new village. The main business in this new village is its two coffee shops. There are no motor vehicle workshop or motorcycle repair shops in the new village. Other than these coffee shops, this new village is purely a residential area. The only coffee shop located in a pre-war building at one part of the new village Another coffee shop located in the new village

7 SETTLEMENT CHARACTERICS Lahat new village is just an ordinary residential area where most of the houses are low-rise and made of either timber or bricks. It has no special tourist attraction. The village is not known for its scenic beauty and it does not have any special local products like good food and delicacies. There are two rows of well maintained pre-war double storey brick houses in one part of the village. There are only two coffee shops and a sundry shop in the area because the new village is near to the surrounding new residential areas where daily necessities are easily available. A typical house belonging to a Sikh family A typical house belonging to a Chinese family

8 One of the few bungalows belong to well-to-do village residents

9 INFRASTRUCTURE The new village has good tar roads, well maintained drains and a police station but lacks essential amenities like post office, market, bomba unit and public health clinic. There was a post office serving the village. Unfortunately, it was burnt down some years ago and the government has not built a new one yet. During our visit, we noticed that the old market was abandoned. The old market building and the empty stores are still there even though some parts of the roof structure has collapsed. There is proper electricity and water supply to the new village and all houses are using flush toilets. All the rubbish is collected on time and there is no sign of overspill rubbish anywhere in the new village. The Cantonese Association office Portrait of Dr. Sun Yat Sun displayed inside the Cantonese Association building

10 The Pre-war brick buildings A view through the corridor of the pre-war buildings Two rows of well preserved pre-war double storey buildings

11 Persatuan Penggedar Burung Merbuk, Ipoh, Perak A basketball field located in the new village

12 Lahat New Village Assembly Hall The police station

13 A well maintained monsoon drain A well maintained roadside concrete drain

14 EDUCATION The new village has a Chinese primary school called Lahat Hwa Chiew (SJKC) with about 120 students and managed by 11 teachers. The community managed to obtain from the Ministry of Education a multipurpose van for use during the official activities of the school. The school and its compound are well maintained. During our visit, we noticed the classrooms were very clean and the grass of the school field was well trimmed and matched by beautiful landscaping. The Hwa Chiew Chinese Primary School The Hwa Chiew Primary School s basket ball field

15 The Hwa Chiew Primary School s well kept verandah The Hwa Chiew Primary Schools s school field The philosophy of life written beside the classroom entrance

16 A typical classroom The refreshing green landscaping of the school Another beautiful view of the green landscaping of the school

17 The well maintained school field and the well kept basket ball field The van belonging to the school

18 RELIGION AND CULTURE Most of the local Chinese are Taoists. Taoism is a religion followed by their ancestors. There is also a small group of Sikhs in the new village. Photo taken inside the old temple building with two members of the Sikh community Another photo taken with an elderly member of the Sikh community

19 PROBLEMS Lahat new village lacks public amenities like post office, wet market, public health clinic, and firefighting facilities. A neglected fire hydrant The abandoned market building

20 The abandoned post office building which was burned down Notice board at the abandoned post office

21 RECOMMENDATIONS Firstly, it is recommended that the government builds a new post office to replace the one which burnt down. In addition, it is recommended that the authorities: Repair the abandoned market building and restart operations at the wet market Set up a clinic; and Provide firefighting facilities. DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this report was compiled by the University s students on voluntary basis. Although every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the report, the University accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any errors or omissions, if any, the University reserves the right to make changes on the information at any time without prior notice. Should there be any queries regarding contents of the report, please contact: Department of Soft Skills Competency Tel: ext 8274, 8656, ext 2297/2299/2300 (Klang Valley Campus) (Perak Campus)