Perak
Heritage Society
Concerned
with the rate at which heritage sites are being destroyed, and
the ‘improvement’ of the Ipoh Padang in 2002, a group
of people got together to form the Perak Heritage Society (PHS).
It was registered in August 2003.
The main objective of the PHS is to ‘promote public awareness, conservation and preservation of our social, environment and cultural heritage for the benefit of the people of Perak’. In truth, we deal with Perak's natural, cultural and industrial heritage. Tin-mining is the most significant industrial Malaysia world heritage concentrated in Perak, which is also the first state to record the cultural heritage of our aboriginal people, the Orang Asli. Today, while retaining their identity, the community is present alongside other ethnicities especially in small towns.
Site visits affirm perceptions of heritage. To this end, the PHS organizes regular outings for members and friends to places of heritage interest like the old tin-mining town of Chemor, Gopeng, Kampar and Taiping. Other fun and relaxing trips (heri.trails) include the Perak River trails, taking in Kuala Kangsar the royal town, the Lenggong Valley, Parit, Bota, Pair Salak and Teluk Intan.
Talks about history, heritage and conservation in practice have also been organized. Our speakers ranged from Malcolm Wade who spoke about Perak Postal History, Raimy Che Ross who spoke on ‘Kota Gelanggi – The Lost City’ to Lim Take Bane’s talk on ‘Adaptive Re-use of Old Buildings’.
In 2006, the PHS was also given the opportunity to premiere Amir Muhamad’s film ‘The Last Communist’ as a fund-raiser for the Society. It was all systems go but the art film was banned two weeks prior to the screening.
Nonetheless, it inspired the PHS to screen films which were shot on location in Perak. Of interest to old film buffs, these films provide us the chance to view places and vistas which may have been changed or destroyed. These films serve as semi-documents on many of our photogenic heritage sites.
Information on heritage issues is disseminated through our bi-monthly newsletter ‘Heritage News’ and through articles in the Press on the activities of the Society. E-copies of the Heritage News are also available to friends and supporters. Positive and delightful reports on our heritage trails have attracted new members and garnered support from the men on the street. We also deal with numerous requests for information on heritage issues and renovation of old buildings. We maintain an expanding network with individuals and community groups in different parts of the state, and work with organizations based in Ipoh, the capital city of Perak.
The PHS is a resource for researchers and writers. We assist and arrange interviews with and provide guide and information to individuals and communities. In our network, we participate in community activities, and assist behind the scene by creating public awareness through media blitz. We also lend our support to other's causes, such as the Save the Royal Belum and Save the Koay Jetty campaigns.