A century-old shelter reopens with new purpose

Surrounded by history: The Perak Ku Kong Chow Association building in Jalan Panglima, Ipoh.

IPOH: A near century-old heritage building in the Old Town here has been given a new lease of life as a cafe and museum dedicated to preserving Cantonese culture.

The building in Jalan Panglima, which once housed the Perak Ku Kong Chow Association, began as a shelter for migrants from Guangdong (formerly Canton) in 1928.

Cafe owner Ricky Soong recalled that back in its early years, the building served as temporary accommodation for those escaping poverty and the civil war until they found jobs and a place to stay.

Surrounded by history: The Perak Ku Kong Chow Association building in Jalan Panglima, Ipoh.

He said the association reloca­ted to Jalan Yang Kalsom in 1959, leaving the original premises vacant for more than six decades. 

“In 2024, I revived the site with a new concept to have a kopitiam on the ground floor and cultural museum upstairs.

“The museum, which provides free entrance, showcases the association’s history and treasures handed down through generations,” he said yesterday.

Soong said the exhibits inclu­ded a pre-World War II lion dance commander’s  flag, an 80-year-old wooden “Kung Fu dummy”, traditional Chinese weapons, century-­old antique furniture and a mirror believed to be over 150 years old from the Ching dynasty.

“These were brought here by our ancestors and preserved in the association’s storeroom. 

Soong showing a lion dance commander’s flag dated before World War II preserved at the museum.

“I wanted to bring them out so that the new generation does not forget their roots,” said Soong, who is also a member of the association.

He said the museum also ­highlighted a chapter of local martial arts history, adding that Hong Kong artiste Master Kwan Tak Hing taught kung fu at the association for three years from 1953 before he became an actor. Kwan was best known for portraying Wong Fei Hung in classic black and white films.

“The idea behind combining a cafe and museum was to make the upkeep of the site sustainable.

“If I just opened a museum and charged a small entry fee, it would not cover the costs. 

“With the kopitiam downstairs, people can enjoy a meal and then head upstairs to learn about history and culture,” Soong added.

He hopes more people will preserve history and not let memories fade.

The cafe, serving Nanyang-style dishes, opens daily (except Wednesdays) from 8.30am to 4.30pm.