By: Zaki Salleh
IPOH – Visitors to the Paloh Mosque Open Day have suggested that the program be held on a larger scale, featuring more extensive historical exhibitions for the public’s awareness.
This should include diversifying cultural activities from the Malay community’s rich heritage, such as organizing a ‘berzanji’ ceremony (an Islamic religious event) to bring the atmosphere to life.
They believe that the Paloh Mosque Open Day should be included as one of the events in the Visit Perak 2024 calendar due to its historical connection to Ipoh.
Abdul Rahman Ayob, a 40-year-old teacher, stated, “Kampong Paloh holds a significant historical value that needs broader recognition.
“Although today’s exhibition is relatively small, the information presented opens the eyes of the younger generation to the history of the old Malay village.
“This is because the names of these old settlements are still in everyday use, such as Kampung Dato’ Laksamana and Kampung Pisang. This is a history that should not be allowed to disappear so easily,” he said.
For college student Wan Hassan Wan Hanafi, aged 21, the event revealed many new aspects of Ipoh’s history that are not typically discussed even in museums.
“A 1930 map shows that there were 16 Malay settlements in the city of Ipoh, starting from today’s Jalan Kuala Kangsar, the state stadium, to Tebing Tinggi. Today, only four remain.
“This is something interesting to study and understand: how these village residents migrated and where they went. Matters like these should be highlighted as tourist attractions, so stakeholders need to consider it,” he suggested.
The Paloh Mosque Open Day, a one-day event, was organized by the Islamic Tourism Center, a program under Tourism Malaysia and the Ministry of Tourism. Over 600 visitors attended to learn more about the mosque’s history and the old village located there.
The Kampung Paloh Mosque, established in 1912, is located on Jalan Datoh and has a significant connection to Ipoh’s development into a city.
