UCAPAN

Tuesday 14 May 2013

HISTORY OF KULIM TOWN IN KEDAH.




History of Kulim



Kulim District reliable opened and occupied since the middle of the 18th century another with a total of 100 people from Pattani  Malay descent. By the mid 19th century Kulim has been the focus for the discovery of tin. In 1890 there were 400 Chinese miners operating in Kulim. Among the earliest opening in the district of Kulim is Belakang Tebok.
Tin mines were opened in the largest Kulim area is Taman Tunku Putra, Kampung Bukit Besar, Karangan, Terap and Klang Lama. According to records in 1854 there were 8 tin exploration companies with a total number of 1500 staff.

In 1888 major events in Kulim broke involving employees tin mines. This event is known as the "Beautiful Lady War" or "War Kulim". This incident started when tycoons-mining around Kulim quarrel among themselves as to grab a beautiful Chinese woman or a mistress. Taukeh-tycoons have been using mine workers respectively in fights that happen. Residents have threatened peace and fighting has continued for many years with a lot of sacrifices between the parties involved.

Kulim War 1888 incident led Kedah government had appointed a British citizen of BE Mitchell as Kulim police chief in 1890 and the financial position of the severe state of Kedah. Through the Bangkok Agreement in 1909 that the British have assumed Kedah has been under its rule. Only in 1923 did the Sultan Abdul Hamid made ​​an agreement with the British that Kedah officially became a British protectorate .

Kulim District reliable name was given because there were a lot of Kulim trees found in this area, especially in urban areas by the early inhabitants of this Kulim. Former miners who work in the mining area rich in tin in the state of Perak in Larut, Matang, Taiping and Over is the first open Kulim District.

Former mine workers who were escape from the tin area in Perak did not want to get involved with fights that often occurs between groups including Group Share Ghee Hin and Hai San, who often set up by employees of the state of Perak to grab mine rich area tin.

It  was believed that those miners escape themselves  through the jungle bush at the Kulim heading to Penang to find a new occupation. Penang had  became a busy port city in North Malaya since it was opened by the British on  1786.

When they escaped themselves  through Kulim area,  former miners found there were signs of   existence of tins in river and land. They , then decided to stay permanently to facilitate their settlements of tin pan.

Among heritage buildings that still can be found in Kulim are Coronation stage, Sek Men St. Patrick (1933), which was used as a commercial building. Sultan Badlishah Secondary School (1948), and the Kulim Police Station. While Kulim independent clock was officiated by Sultan of Kedah on 15 September 1957 remains a landmark for the city of Kulim.

Independent ClockKulim has stood over 44 years of age with Malaysia's Independence in 1957. Independence  Clock  foundation stone was made by YPM Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj, the Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya on June 14, 1957
Independent Clock Kulim was successfully completed within 3 months and  inaugurated by HRH the Sultan Badlishah son of the late President of the Paduka Seri Sultan Abdul Hamid Shah, KOM, CMG, KBE Sultan Kedah on 15 September 1957, 2 weeks after the Declaration of Independence of Malaysia on 31 August 1957.

To ensure that the construction of Independence Clock in  Kulim be completed on schedule then a special committee was set up as follows: -

Tuan Syed Osman Idid Syed Mohammad - Chairman (Kulim District Officer / President Kulim Town Council)
Mr. Hussein Mohammad Shakaff b - Treasurer
En. Hj Ahmad Mansur - Secretary
Kulim police chief
Mr. B. G. Philips, JP
En. Chew Chin Hooi, JP
En. Soon Cheng Meng, JP
En. M.Y.Samsudin, JP
En. Khor Seng Guan
En. Moey Chong Yen
En. R. Themuligan

The costs of Independence Clock were financed by Kulim citizen based on the record of RM40, 000.00 as a manifestation of Kulim population as citizens of this country on the success to reach the country's independence from British colonial rule.

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