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| Ipoh
(Perak state capital)
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 Ipoh
City is the home to many a miner who has made a fortune during the heydays
of tin. Once a small kampung with dilapidated buildings, Ipoh, a town
that tin built, did not pass with the demise of the tin industry. Instead,
it has grown with the country's economy. Poised to become the focal point
of industry, business, investment, education, and social activities, Ipoh
reflects the overall progress and development that Perak is experiencing.
Bearing a close resemblance
to its Kuala Lumpur counterpart, the Ipoh Railway Station is an impressive
landmark, which combines Gothic and Moorish architecture with modern embellishments.
Hence its nickname, the Taj Mahal of Ipoh. Its compound comprises of the
famous "Ipoh Tree", a poisonous tree whose sap is used by the natives
in the olden days to make fatal darts for their blow pipes. Surrounded
by a beautiful floral garden, it also serves as a charming welcome to
visitors arriving by rail.
Opposite the railway
station is a neocolonial style building. Adjacent to that is the Ipoh
Clock Tower, which was erected in 1917 as a memorial to J.W.W. Birch,
the first British Resident of the state who was assassinated by a group
of Malay chieftains in Pasir Salak in 1875. Ironically, there is another
memorial built on the very spot where Birch was assassinated, but this
one is dedicated to the Malay warriors who murdered him.
Apart from Penang,
Ipoh is the other name that is constantly at the tip of the tongue when
the subject matter concerned is food. The early Chinese immigrants who
poured into the state brought with them the cooking styles of their provinces,
most of whom were from the southern provinces. These cooking styles blended
well with the local air and a new breed of food came about, such as the
Ipoh "Hor Fun" or flat rice noodles. The writer is also of the opinion
that Ipoh has the best fish balls in the country.
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