Kampung Kerunai Heritage House in Gerik
The Heritage House located in Kampung Kerunai, Gerik, Perak Darul Ridzuan is owned by Prof Dato Dr Wan Hashim Wan Teh and his sister, Hajah Wan Marian Wan Teh. Prof Dato Dr Wan Hashim Wan Teh is a former lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) who later moved to the National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) as a lecturer at the Faculty of Defence Studies and Management.
Currently, the Heritage House is occupied by his sister, Puan Hajah Wan Mariah Wan Teh, a full-time housewife, along with her son. At a glance, the Heritage House appears as a traditional Malay house that is very beautiful and unique in its design. The house was built based on the concept of a traditional Perak Malay house. 'Rumah Warisan' (Heritage House) is a name well-known to the surrounding residents. The architectural style of the residence, visible from the main road, attracts the eyes of passersby. At a glance, the details of this residence are no different from the Istana Kenangan, also known as the Yellow Palace (Istana Kuning) located in Kuala Kangsar, where its construction was done without using iron nails. In an interview with Puan Mariah, she stated that this house was built based on the concept of the Yellow Palace in Kuala Kangsar, Perak. Furthermore, the use of the Perak flag's color scheme further highlights its interesting architectural elements, which are rich in fine craftsmanship.
Through an interview with the owner of this Heritage House, she mentioned that it was built even before the Japanese entered Malaya. This residence has been built since the previous generation, namely from Puan Mariah's late father and mother, and was then passed down to their children as an inheritance. During the Japanese occupation, this residence was used as a stopover by Japanese soldiers. The father of the owner of this Heritage House was the head penghulu of Mukim Kerunai at that time, known as Penghulu Wan Teh.
Wan Mariah and her son, who is also an editor for orangperak.com
The Heritage House gets its name because it has been passed down from one generation to the next. Its existence is like a very valuable asset that must always be preserved. In the past, the Malay community had specific rules for building houses. Typically, they would choose an area or location to serve as the site for the house, and the work would be carried out by skilled craftsmen. Before determining the house site, the suitability of the land had to be taken into account.
orangperak.com editor Rahul during his cycling tour of Peninsular Malaysia
The purpose was to ensure the occupants would enjoy well-being in their lives. If the site was unsuitable, it was feared it would bring harm to the occupants. The selection of the type of wood to be used was also very important. Only high-quality wood would be used as building material.
Among these types of wood are cengal, meranti, resak, tembusu, merbau, and several others. Each type of wood would be matched to its place in the parts of the house to be built. Every part of the house plays a very important role in ensuring that the house is built sturdily and lasts a long time. The artistry and uniqueness of traditional Malay craftsmanship make a house interesting to look at, such as the Heritage House. Overall, this Heritage House is a combination of the old residence and a new section built to make the home appear more spacious.
Grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Penghulu Wan Teh from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations
The right side of the Heritage House is the new section that was added, while the left side is the original part called the 'ibu rumah' (main house). After renovations were carried out, the right and left sides of the house were combined together.
