Perak Darul Ridzuan

Land of Grace

With experience of the instability caused by the boom and bust cycles brought about first by tin, and then by rubber, the State Government has embarked on a far-reaching economic development programme. It is targeting certain sectors of the State´s economy, in order to eliminate its´ dependence on non-renewable resources and the commodities markets. Amongst the sectors targeted is manufacturing, particularly those activities which add value to forestry, agricultural and mineral products. It is also targeting the "invisible" earnings sector of tourism by developing previously inefficiently exploited tourist destinations. In these difficult times, the people of Perak can be relied upon to draw on the strength, endurance and resilience which characterised their forefathers in those days, when Perak was truly a "Silver State". ( Picture shows the Ubudiah Mosque in Kuala Kangsar )

History

Recent archaeological discoveries at Kota Tampan, near Lenggong in Upper Perak, confirm that man has lived in Perak since the Stone Age. Limestone caves beside the peninsula´s second longest river, the Sungai Perak, provided shelter for those early inhabitants.

The state´s recorded history, however, dates back fairly recently - to the early 16^th Century. Perak´s Royal House can claim direct descent from the Malacca Sultanate - the current ruler is the heir of a line founded in 1528 by Sultan Muzaffar Shah, the eldest son of the last ruler of Malacca. The Sultans set up court in their palaces along the river bank, and graves of past Sultans can be seen in ´The Valley of the Kings´, the region between Kampung Gajah and Parit, south of Ipoh. With the discovery of tin, the wealth of the trade became of interest to these rulers who attempted to control it from their riverside bases, as the tin was brought downstream from the mines further inland.

However, there were always outsiders looking for a piece of the pie. The 17^th and 18^th centuries proved to be particularly turbulent, as the local Malays warred with the Achenese, Bugis, Thais and the Dutch. The Dutch in fact built forts at the mouth of the Perak River and on the island of Pangkor in an effort to take control of the tin trade.

The first Chinese miners arrived in the early 19^th Century and history was about to be re-written. Gang wars among rival Chinese tin miners led to British intervention. The hastily-signed Pangkor Treaty saw a British Resident being installed. In 1896, Perak, along with Selangor, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan, became part of the Federated Malay States, which in 1948 became the Federation of Malaya.

Geography

The State of Perak Darul Ridzuan lies to the north-west of the Malaysian Peninsula. It shares a common border with Kedah and Thailand to the north, Kelantan to the east, Pahang to the south east, Selangor to the south and Penang to the west. The State has a land area of 21,000 square kilometres and has a long coastline. The capital city of Perak Darul Ridzuan is Ipoh, which occupies a central position within the State. Ipoh has a population in excess of 500,000 people, making it one of the larger cities in Malaysia.

Although Perak has hills and mountains spread all over its´ territory, the general topography is one of mountainous regions to the east, along the line of the Main Range, followed by foothills and then a coastal alluvial plain. The State is well watered with many rivers running through it, the longest being the Perak River, which is the second longest river in Peninsular Malaysia. ( Picture shows the Perak River )

Similar to the other west coast States, April, May and October are the wettest months in Perak, with the town of Taiping enjoying the greatest volume of rain in the country. Temperatures range from 21 degrees Celcius to a steamy 32 degrees Celcius, with the hill stations offering a welcome respite from the heat. Humidity is also high, hovering between 80% and 90%

States of Malaysia