Putting Kopisan on tourism map

Coffee trees planted in the compound of a house in Kampung Baru Kopisan.

Kampung Baru Kopisan in the outskirts of Gopeng, Perak is aiming to be known as the state’s local producer of coffee beans.

The village is taking a leaf from Ipoh’s fame with white coffee that has become a tourism attraction.

Kopisan’s coffee-planting project was the brainchild of village chief Chen Kong Hoy.

He said some 4,000 Liberica coffee trees were planted, in the village, in batches between 2015 and 2017.

To get the project going, free saplings were provided to residents and eight schools in the vicinity.

Over 80 trees were planted at an empty plot of land belonging to a resident.

Residents who pluck the fruit and flowers from the coffee trees, sell them to Chen, who roasts his own coffee.

By-products of the fruit, flowers and leaves such as perfume, essential oil, enzyme, air freshener and “tea” made from coffee leaves, are also made for the consumption of friends and family.

“I have a dream of transforming the village into an agro-tourism attraction.

“I put in a proposal to the state government in 2017, requesting for 50ha of land, but that request did not materialise.

“Now I will need to come up with another proposal with fresh ideas to be submitted to the Mentri Besar’s office,” he told StarMetro recently.

Chen said in order to commercialise the products, a bigger plot of land, more manpower and proper strategies were needed.

“I don’t only want to plant coffee trees on the land.

“I would also like to set up a cafe where visitors can make their own cup of coffee, a booth for them to make perfume, as well as chalets for their accommodation,” he added.

Chen said, according to history, in 1862, a French tin-mining company had planted coffee trees on a piece of land located some 3km from the current village.

It was the first time the locals had heard of coffee, which they called kopi.

He said the trees did not survive on that piece of land, but when locals relocated in 1948 to a new village not far from where they lived, they took the kopi name along with them.

And so was born the village known as Kopisan or “Coffee Mountain”.

In 1962, the villagers relocated to the current site which is today known as Kopisan New Village.

Chen said the current village did not have any coffee trees until 2015 when he conceptualised a plan to plant coffee trees.

He claims that presently, about 80% of the coffee beans used in the country were imported.

Chen is eager for the coffee beans from Kopisan to gain better recognition, so that they may give coffee that is consumed in Malaysia a more local flavour.

“I dream of the day when Kopisan becomes synonymous with coffee,” he added.

Chen, who buys the fruit from villagers at RM3 per kg, said each tree could yield an estimated 10kg of beans.

It has become a source of side income for some residents, especially senior citizens.

Chen said if he was granted the 50ha land, most villagers, especially the older residents, could work at the plantation as well.

He said besides getting a fixed income, gardening was therapeutic for the seniors.

“The village could also become an ecotourism spot where people can come to see the trees, dine on local food as well as buy vegetables and fruits planted by the residents.

“They can even rent rooms from residents for short stays to get a feel of village life,” he added.

Chen said if the plantation plan materialised, he would be able to offer courses on the coffee-making process to youngsters so they could start their own cafes.

Over at SMK Idris Shah are 160 coffee trees.

Principal Sharifuddin Khalid said some 50kg of coffee beans was sold monthly.

The earnings, he said, was deposited in the parent-teacher association fund to purchase school supplies.

“We have about 30 special needs students here, and they are taught coffee-planting methods as well as the processes of coffee brewing.”

Sharifuddin said he liked being surrounded by the village’s coffee trees and it was a bonus to be able to taste the locally-roasted brew.

Resident Cheah Poh Lan, 70, has two trees outside her house, and she is able to get about RM30 monthly from the beans.

“I need to water the trees once a day, but now with the rainy season, the trees get enough water.

“It’s not all about the money. It is very therapeutic to pick and smell the flowers and fruits,” she added.

Another resident Chan Hin Charn, 65, said after returning from Singapore a few months ago, where he used to work, he decided to plant 10 trees outside his house.

Chan said he was eager to play a part in promoting Kopisan’s coffee.

“I want people to talk about the village, explore the beauty here and just enjoy the aroma from the trees which are growing in almost every nook and corner,” he added.

Wong Pheng, 69, who has planted over 80 trees on his empty plot of land, uses organic fertilisers.

“I usually don’t have any beans left to sell because my 200 extended family members live in the vicinity.

“I usually pluck the fruit, remove the skin from the beans, leave them to dry and roast them, before grinding them so my family members get free coffee powder,” he added.