Reviving a sleepy town to achieve heritage status

Structure with history: Ahmad Rafie said this building used to be known as ‘The White House’ which served as the British military’s mess. The site was turned into a Catholic welfare service centre called the Welcome Community Home.

BATU Arang resident Abedah Yussoffe was born in 1952 to parents who worked as coal miners with Malayan Collieries Ltd.

When she was an infant, the coal mining industry was still in operation in this settlement in north Selangor.

However, it gradually ceased over the course of eight years following communist attacks, mining lease expiration and costly production processes that rendered the industry unprofitable.

Even the hospital that Abedah was born in has now become a forest.

Abedah, now 63, has taken up residence in the European Club where European settlers involved in the mines used to gather for recreational activities.

It is a place that she has called home for more than 40 years.

Proof of history: The tall chimney of the kiln from the former brick factory still stands today.

Back in the early 1900s, a local discovered coal and the mining industry commenced when British coal miner John Archibald Russell formed Malayan Collieries Ltd.

The industry soared to its peak in the 1930s due to great demand, and Batu Arang became one of the most developed areas in the then Malaya.

“There was even a need for airplanes and trains as transportation,” said Batu Arang Village Security and Development (JKKK) chairman Ahmad Rafie Yob.

“But now, the landing strip is covered by foliage while the train tracks have become just an empty path,” he said, adding that the rails and sleepers were dismantled and stolen over the years.

“Even the railway station has become a banana plantation.”

Forgotten by time, the glory days of the booming settlement has been reduced to a serene albeit quiet place.

Resident Liew Kon Fong remembers relocating to Batu Arang with her family as her father sought business opportunities there.

Where everybody knows your name: In Batu Arang, people are familiar with one another, and they can tell if someone is not a local.

“He dabbled in logistics, dealing mainly in the transportation of sundry supplies to shops,” said Liew, who moved there at the age of five.

She remembers how busy it was on the streets and the narrow stretch of shops where her chicken rice stall now stands used to be home to bars and restaurants frequented by foreign settlers.

“There’s just no trace of that lively atmosphere now. Since there were no longer jobs, people took off elsewhere to make a living, leaving this place rather still and silent,” she said.

Ahmad Rafie said Batu Arang still sits on an abundance of coal, but no mining can ever take place again lest the surface sinks.

For the same reason, he explained that no major development could be carried out because of the tunnels underneath.

“This leaves no economic value to the place, so many of the younger generation moved away to seek opportunities elsewhere,” said Ahmad Rafie, adding that 61% of the population now were senior citizens.

Abandoned: The old miners’ quarters, though long vacant, still has a charming albeit eerie look. Ahmad Rafie said they wished to convert the quarters into home stays, in line with the heritage status project.

“The only heavy industry still in place is the ordnance plant under the Defence Ministry, where about 700 Batu Arang residents work,” he added.

The contrasts of Batu Arang are palpable, but it has not completely lost its charm.

As of 2011, Batu Arang was in the midst of achieving heritage status, a move that will boost the economic value of the area through tourism.

“In phase one of the programme, we received funds from the Selangor government to set up 22 special signs that indicate the historical significance of certain locations,” said Ahmad Rafie.

Throughout his career in the aviation industry as an air force engineering officer, Ahmad Rafie had travelled to many places with historical flavour since the 1970s.

His interest in conservation and restoration of historical locations brought him to Batu Arang where he worked on bringing up the worth of the place.

Business potential: Resident Yap Tick Hoo has been living in Batu Arang for a long time. When his great-grandparents learnt of the business opportunities the place posed, the family moved here from another state and started the Yew Lee grocery shop.

“Batu Arang has much to offer as a tourist destination, but first we need people to be conscious of its significance. Without awareness, there would not be preservation,” he said.

He continues to work on attracting tourists and believes what the place needs is an upgrade of its prominent locations and hospitality venues that can cater to visitors.

In fact, he is organising the Batu Arang Heritage Jamboree, which will be held on April 19.

It is a cycling event aimed to bring more attention to the place and its history.

“We are also looking to introduce tram services in the future, which would enable visitors to get around comfortably,” Ahmad Rafie said.

Most of all, he believes the local community should be made a part of the heritage programme through cottage industries.

Bare but rich in history: This used to be a railway track, but the rail and sleepers have long been gone.

“Perhaps the senior citizens could best relate to the history as most have roots here or their parents were involved in the coal mining industry.

“They could be a part of the heritage programme,” he said, adding that it could enhance tourism activities while providing them some money on the side.