Back home again

Some houses in the almost 70-year-old Kampung Baru Tawas have been rebuilt into double-storey bungalows – a contrast to the wooden village houses of old.

THERE is a story from every lane in Kampung Baru Tawas from tales of hardship and struggle to success stories of villagers who went abroad.

They are dubbed “aeroplane jumpers” meaning those who went to work without permit abroad, mostly in Europe, Japan and Taiwan.

The villagers from Ipoh, Perak, were part of the exodus of people who left for greener pastures when the tin mining industry saw a decline.

The move was triggered by massive unemployment overnight as the world tin market collapsed in 1985.

“At least one family from every lane in our village has a son or husband who were involved in the exodus,” said Teoh Eng Keong, 60, when StarMetro visited the village on Monday.

Our visit coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival, an event to celebrate the reunion of families and friends as well as freedom.

Despite the celebrations, it can be nostalgic for residents of this greying village as many young ones are away at work outstation.

This eatery is a popular place with villagers as they sit in the open space to read newspapers and chat with each other.   

Kampung Baru Tawas, located off Jalan Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh, has about 20 lanes and over 700 houses.

Set up as a barbed wire community during the Emergency (1948-1960), the village is now surrounded by big and small factories and housing estates.

The villagers were mostly farmers as well as tin mine workers. Some were labourers in the old days.

The collapse of the world tin market changed their lives overnight.

Having joined the job market then, Teoh recalled how badly affected people of his generation were.

But with youth on their side and propelled by the need to feed their families, many went to work abroad without proper permit hence the name “aeroplane jumpers”.

For many, it was their first time boarding a plane and leaving their families behind.

The temple in Kampung Baru Tawas remains a village landmark. 

Most, had a one-way ticket and the road ahead was shrouded with uncertainties.

Many would follow suit after the pioneer batch left, said Teoh.

Apart from that many also left for big cities like Kuala Lumpur to earn a living.

But Teoh headed for Kelantan instead, and set up an excavator business there.

“I was in Kelantan for 30 years,” said Teoh, adding that one of his six children handles the business in Kelantan.

He said he returned to the village with his wife about 10 years ago.

“This is our home,” said Teoh who still travels to Kelantan on business.

They are not alone though.

Villagers (from left) Ah Foo, 60, Kam Wai Thow, 58, Liew and Teoh at the  coffeeshop in Kampung Baru Tawas.  

The majority of the early “aeroplane jumpers” are back home.

After achieving their goals and with their children all grown up and independent now, these residents feel it is time to start a new chapter.

With their savings, Teoh said some renovated their wooden houses to modern concrete units, others bought new properties near the village while some started operating small businesses.

“It is time to slow down a bit and enjoy the fruits of their labour.”

One of the “aeroplane jumpers” who turned 60 this year is still a bachelor, and returned to the village about eight years ago.

He enjoys the company of his childhood friends despite having been separated for so long.

He worked in construction for 20 years in Dubai, Japan, Taiwan and Ireland.

He is now working in a durian farm in Tapah, Perak.

Most of his peers are already grandfathers, and one of them is 62-year-old Liew Yow Pheng.

Liew, who is a vegetable farmer, said there were always sacrifices to be made in life.

The father of five said his children were grown up and settled down – two in Kuala Lumpur and one in Alor Setar, Kedah.

“You cannot imagine the life we had to go through in the old days, living in the midst of wild animals like pythons,” said Liew, whose weather-beaten face and skin tone speak volumes of the years he spent toiling under the sun and rain.

He said he and his wife would continue farming for as long as they were able to.

Another husband-and-wife “aeroplane jumper” team who spent 15 years in Singapore and another 20 years in Brunei, returned home six years ago.

“My wife wanted to come back. This is our home,” said the 58-year-old man who was doing renovation works as his means of income abroad.

They are childless.

But Liew said many elderly were also lonely as their children were working in places like Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and some had even migrated.

The children and grandchildren, he added, would be home for major festivals like Chinese New Year.

He said the village started becoming increasingly quiet especially at night in the late 1980s when people left to work abroad.

“There used to be stalls in the village where all of us gathered for supper until late night,” recalled Liew.

The village nowadays is quiet from noon. In the morning, villagers run their errands in the little commercial square where the wet market is located.

But villagers like Liew, Teoh, Kam Wai Thow and Ah Foo and their friends continue to maintain close ties no matter what.

“We meet at the food stall nearby at night,” Teoh said.

On his take of their village in the near future, Teoh said it was hard to tell if economic activities like tourism could help the village prosper.

He said there was a void for some time now as village youths had left for economic opportunities elsewhere.

“I always bus loads of Chinese tourists visiting the Perak Caves Temple whenever I pass by there,” said Teoh, of the tourist spot that is just a stone’s throw from the village.