The Heavenly Place - Sungai Lembing (III): Her Beauty

I am here to share some of the spectacular view of Sungai Lembing. You'll will fall in love by looking at this enchanting lady.

The scene reminds me of Cat Steven's: "Morning has broken, sunlilght from heaven"...

Distanced view of Bukit Charas - an island in the middle of the sea of clouds.

Mountains in layers, beautifully posed.

I wish to realise my childhood fantasy - To swim in the cloud.

On the way down the hill, see this natural painting of clouds, river, trees and villages.

The Heavenly Place - Sungai Lembing (II): Her Life

In the city, we always run to get somewhere, something or someone. But when at Sungai Lembing, the running will only ever get you to the same place. We must as well enjoy the slow pace lifestyle and be contented as the people living here. Now I understand the reason Pypy could made her third visit here, as I'm thinking to make the second one. It's a good place for retreat.

Although the town was left to its own, the town people proudly maintain it, keeping the shops going and the local Chinese associations alive (Ha! We took part in their line dancing practice). Whereas the Malay community lived a little further out of town. We saw few scattered Kampung houses a long the way driving to the town. I happened to stop by a Malay kampung asking for direction from a man. I was amazed that I met him again the next evening in the town and he recognized me and asking if I finally got my way! What a man!

We also had a question about what are most of the people here do for living? I finally got the answer from a local. Since the closure of mine in 1986, people are now depending on agriculture and fishing. The younger generation find it difficult to make a living and left to Kuantan and other towns to start fresh from there. Only the aged are left behind. Perhaps with the tourism, it could help to revive the town and give it a new direction.

The view of Sungai Lemving town. Simple and quiet.

The only petrol station in the town.

The most “happening” place in the Sungai Lembing Town – the market (in 1920s)

The most “happening” place in the Sungai Lembing Town – the market (in 1980s)

The most “happening” place in the Sungai Lembing Town – the market (in 2009)

The pain of the people - the flood during the year end. Water level can go up as high as 6 meters. Picture showing one of the worse flood happened in 2001.

This picture is to show how the water can flood the town.

A Malay couples just having their wedding photoshot done.

There are a few suspended bridges connecting the villages across the Kenau River to the town.

Students after Saturday class posing in front of an old house made of zinc.

One of the entertainments for the people - playing snoker

The Heavenly Place - Sungai Lembing (I): About Her

I have wanted a holiday to Jakarta next month, but no sign of encouraging response from any of the potential travel mates. I have to either cancel or postpone it to a later date. As one door closes, another one opens. Ah Jin invited me to join their 3 days tour to Sungai Lembing, Pahang which is famous of enchanting view of sunrise sneaking up between the surrounding verdant hills.

Prior to the visit, I’ve had no idea about this place. I did some reading about this place and that assured me the visit was going to be informational, educational and exciting. Sungai Lembing is an old mining town, which once had the biggest tin mine on earth. This was 100 years ago during British colonial days, when Sungai Lembing was founded. During 80 years of mining activities it became the largest, longest and deepest underground tin mine in the world. The total tunnel length is 322 km, with a depth of between 610 m and 700 m.

The tin mine was discovered in 1888 by a London-based mining company. From 1891, the Pahang Consolidated Company Limited, (PCCL), which was under British control, had a 77-year lease to mine the area. PCCL managed the mine from 1906 until its liquidation in 1986 when world tin prices collapsed.

A museum highlighting the tin mining industry was opened in 2003. The museum is housed in an old bungalow once used by the mine manager. The museum houses a collection of mining artifacts. We did not have the time to make a visit to museum or the tunnel. That leaves me incompleteness about this trip.

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The series of old photos below was reproduced from the precious collection of an old resident. While wandering in the town alone, I happened to casually chat with him. He was generous enough to retrive from his archives and shared with me the past beauty of Sungai Lembing. He talked about those glorious days the town was enjoying and the declining days the town is facing. These undated photos are believed to be taken during the 1920s and 1930s.

The image of the Sungai Lembing town. There was once lived 15,000 tin mine workers. At that time when most parts of the country depended on wells and kerosene lamps, folks here enjoyed free electricity and piped water.

Workers and train

Bombs were used in the mining industry

Supporting sturcture using wood frame

The lift bringing the mine workers deep down the tunnel

Train transporting out the mine from the tunnel