Magnificent photographs capturing scenes of Perak’s tin mining industry in the 1970s, featured in the photography book Eric Peris’ Tin Mine Landscapes, have immortalised this aspect of the state’s history.
The book was produced and published by Cyril Pereira and the edition is now out of print.
But Pereira, who has extensive experience in the media and advertising agencies in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong and was publisher of the regional Asia Magazine for 12 years, believes there is more of the story to be told.
“Tin mining is a thing of the past, and if you ask the younger generation, they may not even be aware of it.
“Eric Peris’ edition is purely a photographic documentation of tin mining scenes from the past but the context, story and personalities involved have not been brought to light.
“This is why I hope to publish another edition in the first quarter of next year,” he told StarMetro during a talk titled “Mining: Perak Tin History (More Buried Than Revealed)” in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), Kuala Lumpur.
Talking about the book, he said the first edition was the inaugural documentation of Perak’s tin mining era.
Renowned photographer Peris wanted to preserve that part of Malaysia’s heritage, which is no longer visible, said Pereira.
“The second edition will provide the context of tin mining and explain how Malaysia became the world’s largest tin producer by the end of the 19th century,” he explained.
During the talk, Pereira shared some of the insights he had gained while working on the book’s second edition.
“There is no single source that encapsulates the story, but the many individuals I spoke to helped narrow down perspectives from various backgrounds and personalities,” he said.
“For instance, I interviewed descendants of key figures and discussed the memories of their late family members who were involved in tin mining.”
Pereira also shared previously undocumented stories of significant historical figures such as Capt Tristram Speedy (1834-1910) and Tengku Mentri Ngah Ibrahim, both of whom played crucial roles in Perak’s history.
The forthcoming second edition will include episodes and sketches recreating the atmosphere of the tin mining era.
Those who attended the talk also provided feedback to Pereira and related their understanding of the history.
“When producing the book, I aim to avoid overly dense text.
“I aim to focus on telling a more profound story about tin mining by incorporating historical events and fascinating personalities.
“It will go beyond being just an Eric Peris book, and I hope the younger generation will come to appreciate the significance of the tin industry in the past,” he said.
