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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Wangkang festival listed as a National Heritage event by Federal Government

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 08:42 PM PST

MALACCA: The Wangkang festival, a rare and unique event designed to get rid the "world of evil" has been recognised as a National Heritage by the Federal government.

The recognition has brought cheers to 2012 festival organising committee chairman Lai Poon Ken who strived hard to have the unique event, listed as part of Malaysia's legacy.

It was the greatest news for the committee and devotees of the Yong Chuan Tian temple in Jalan Parameswara, he said.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and State MCA chief Datuk Gan Tian Loo also visited the temple following the recognition by the National Heritage Department.

Wangkang Festival was organised to collect wandering souls, evil spirits and other negative elements on the streets of Malacca.

These evil spirits are thought to be responsible for the epidemic scourges and chaos that plague the world.

The spirits are then sent into the unknown by way of a barge that is burned on the last day of the festival where devotees hope it will bring health, peace, prosperity and happiness to the world and to Malacca in particular.

The grand and costly religious procession was introduced to Malacca by Hokkien emigrants from Fujian province, China.

Every year since, the temple members have collected the wandering souls, but only when the medium at the Yong Chuan Tian Temple gets the command from the heavens can they organise the elaborate Wangkang procession.

The message is delivered via a small chair, where through the chair the deity directs the temple committee to organise the Wangkang.

Then the main attraction of the festival, the Royal Barge measuring six metres long and two metres high with a six-metre-high mast is pulled by a rope around the city by devotees before setting on fire at the end of the procession.

As recorded in the Malacca Guardian newspaper (Nov 26, 1933), Wangkangs have been organised during troubled times such as in 1905 (the Russian-Japanese war and the Chinese boycott of American goods) and 1919 (when a global flu epidemic broke out after World War I).

In Malacca, the festival was first held in 1845, and then took place every five or eight years.

It stopped in 1880 but revived in 1891 during an outbreak of virulent cholera.

The festival was dormant for 68 years before it was revived in 2001 during the height of the SARS epidemic which jeopardised tourism in Malacca.

The Wangkang customs were brought to Malacca by Hokkien migrants who were fleeing persecution during the Qing or Manchu Dynasty (1644 to1911) in China.

In the Chiang Chew and Chuan Chew districts of Fujian province, China, five deities or Ong Yahs with the surnames Choo, Hoon, Tee, Lee and Pek (in order of seniority) were worshipped.

When the Hokkiens brought their deities to Malacca, the locals came to regard them as their patron saints.

Former mining town is now taking a different course for academic and agricultural excellence

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 08:40 PM PST

RAUB: Despite being one of the oldest townships in the country, Raub has not lost its vigour and charm.

The former mining town is still abuzz with activities while development is taking shape at its own pace.

Besides the mushrooming of new housing schemes, shoplots were also expanding steadily.

Over the next three years, a branch campus of Universiti Tekno-logi Mara costing RM230mil is expected to be completed.

In addition, a RM148mil Institut Kemahiran Mara will be built on a 10ha site to provide skills training to some 2,000 youths and school leavers.

To reduce traffic congestion, a new highway from Simpang Pelangai to Merapoh has been planned so that Kelantanese travelling back home need not drive into Raub town.

Other projects earmarked to benefit Raub residents include upgrading of water piping system and basic infrastructures in housing settlements and new villages such as futsal courts, mosques, parks, taxi stand, bus station and a new landfill.

There are also plans to promote Raub as an agricultural town and agro-tourism destination with many homestay-style establishments sprouting especially in Kampung Sungai Pasu and Sang Lee.

On the first week of every Sunday, there is the Sunday Bike Ride campaign in which residents are encourage to cycle around town to promote a healthy lifestyle and cleaner environment.

Products such as durians, groundnuts and bean curd are being commercialised to attract more visitors during weekends, school and public holidays.

Raub residents can also take pride in having a scenic Taman Tasik Raub for them to partake in exercise and other recreational activities such as picnicking, boating and fishing.

On the part of the private sector, a proposal to construct a RM300mil gold park and historical museum is on the cards, awaiting approval from the state government.

If given the green light, the project - similar to the concept in Brisbane, Australia - is expected to further boost tourist arrival.

Back in the 1700s, Raub was a historic gold mining thriving township. The town obtained its name from the word "meraub" meaning prospecting gold near river embankments using hands and other simple devices such as a dulang (tray).

This episode was narrated by J.A. Richardson in his book "The Geology and Mineral Resources of the Neighbourhood of Raub Pahang."

According to him "for every tray of sand, there was a handful of gold."

Raub became famous in the early 20th century and gold mining was operated by the Raub Australian Gold Mine (RAGM) until 1961.

Back then, the shaft mining method was employed at the Raub Hole, now known as Bukit Koman.

The area was once dubbed as "Malaysian gold capital" due to the rapid development of gold mining.

At the height of the Communist insurgency, new settlements were erected namely Cheroh, Sang Lee, Sungai Ruan, Sungai Chetang, Bukit Koman, Sempalit, Sungai Lui, Tras and Sungai Klau.

Colonial-style buildings are still evident especially along Mason Road (now known as Jalan Tengku Abdullah) such as the old Raub police station, built in 1906.

After the gold deposit was depleted, Raub turned to agriculture comprising natural rubber, oil palm, cocoa and local fruits as its main economic activity.

Residents interviewed by Star Metro expressed mixed reactions with some for the Government and others critical of it.

Housewife Noridah Mohamed, 51, of Taman Medan Indah, was grateful to the various assistance given by the Government such as Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) and the cheaper goods available at Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia in Dong.

She said there was no reason for her not to support the Government as the welfare of the people was being looked after.

"Even my daughter has received a letter informing her to collect RM250 under BR1M. We are happy with the development in Raub," said the mother of three.

Hawker Yong Kon Foong, 58, from Sungai Lui, wants the authorities to address the issue of traffic congestion within the Raub town.

She said many outsiders particularly Kelantanese were causing jam around town to travel back to their hometown every weekends.

Yong said the local authorities were doing a good job in maintaining cleanliness and sprucing up the surroundings.

"Our parliamentarian (Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen) is very friendly and has helped the poor rakyat to secure proper homes.

"She deserved to be re-elected," Yong said, adding that she had met her (Dr Ng) and shook hands on several occasions.

Taman Sri Raub resident Lim Kam Hoong, 39, who runs a business was also fed up with the problem of traffic congestion.

Lim said the authorities should resolve the issue promptly and build a new by-pass for motorists travelling to Kota Baru.

He also proposed for more private colleges to be set up in Raub for the benefit of school-leavers.

"Raub is a serene and conducive town to live and study. There is not much happening and we are quite content with our lifestyle.

"However, the Government need to address the rising cost of properties," he said, citing an example of a shoplot near Sempalit costing RM880,000 which was beyond the means of petty traders to conduct business.

Lim said more opportunities and assistance should be provided to Chinese entrepreneurs and farmers to undergo training and secure loans to expand their businesses.

Settler Siro Kudin, 43, of Felda Tersang, said he was pleased with the development taking place in Raub and assistance rendered to settlers by the Government.

The father of five, aged between three and 26, said however, there was still room for improvement and urged the Government and Felda to enhance more amenities in their settlements.

"I hope the relevant agencies can push up the prices of our commodities in the market to enable us to increase our monthly disposable income," he said.

Trader R. Balakrishnan, 50, from Taman Raub Jaya lamented that the MIC and the Government had not been helping the community enough.

Sundry shop owner S. Shanti, 40, of Bandar Raub, said traffic jam and stiff competition were hurting their business.

She also expressed her concern on the usage of cyanide in nearby Bukit Koman gold mine which could pose health problems to residents.

"We are not against businesses but not at the expense of our health. We have nowhere to move to as we were born and grew up here," she said.

Shanti claimed crimes such as snatch thefts and house break-ins were on the rise while many Indians youths were involved in social ills due to the absence of proper guidance and education.

Hardware shop worker C. Ilango, 22, said there was lack of employment opportunities for youths, citing numerous interviews he had attended before landing a job.

"Crimes are happening almost daily. Just two days ago, a car parked several shoplots away was broken into. The police should conduct more patrolling to ensure a safer neighbourhood," he said.

In the last general election, incumbent Dr Ng defeated Abu Bakar Lebai Sudin of the DAP with a 2,752-vote majority.

Recently, Dr Ng, who is also an MCA vice-president, has expressed her intention to defend her seat.

However, several names were also heard making its rounds as possible replacement including Pahang executive councillor Datuk Hoh Khai Mun, who is the Bilut assemblyman, and Kuantan MCA division chief Datuk Ti Lian Ker.

DAP is expected to field its state deputy chairman Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji, banking on the Malay votes in the state seats of Dong and Batu Talam, in addition to the unhappiness of Bukit Koman residents on the gold mine operations, to create an upset.

Raub parliamentary seat has a total registered voters of 54,775 as of December last year.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Selasa, 26 Februari 2013