The Dark History Behind the Construction of the Gerik-Jeli (East-West) Highway
It is hard to imagine the hardships faced by those in the past who built the road across the majestic Titiwangsa Range, the nation's backbone, to connect travel for us, the current generation, between the East and the West.
With machinery that was not as modern as it is today and limited technology at the time, it is painful to describe the struggles of those who built this road in the past. True to the old saying, the sacrifices of our predecessors were truly for the benefit of our children and grandchildren in the future. Therefore, this article on orangperak.com will recount the story and the dark events that occurred during the construction of the road, better known as the East-West Highway, so that their services and sacrifices, which are increasingly forgotten today, can be remembered and appreciated.
What happened, and what needs to be told to you, is an unexpected event that took place on August 27, 1974. On that day, communist forces attacked workers who were busy building the road. These workers were innocent civilians trying to earn an honest living to support their beloved families. The impact and toll of the communist terrorist attack resulted in 63 bulldozers being blown up, three Public Works Department (JKR) workers losing their lives, and dozens suffering injuries, including severe ones. Regardless of the true cause of these communist terrorists, this attack deserves the strongest condemnation.
The attack occurred during the second emergency era in Malaysia, where communist terrorists returned to terrorize between 1967 and 1989. The actions of these communist terrorists not only delayed the construction of the East-West Highway but also deeply affected the victims' families, who lost their beloved kin.
Because of this, the construction of the East-West Highway took as long as 11 years. For the information of all loyal readers of orangperak.com, the East-West Highway was closed to the public after 6 PM in the early 1980s. The funding cost to complete this highway project is also said to have increased from RM85 million to RM205 million.
The increased funding was intended to cover all the machinery and equipment that was damaged and destroyed by the communist terrorists. It is clear here that the communist terrorists were determined to sabotage the construction of the road because it would facilitate military movement to combat communist activities nesting in the surrounding thick forests.
A memorial monument was built by the Public Works Department (JKR) to commemorate and remember those who were killed and became victims of communist terrorist cruelty while working hard to build the road connecting Perak and Kelantan. In connection with this story, we at orangperak.com urge you all to share this tale with friends, family, and our future descendants as a reminder, and to honor those who struggled to build the facilities we use today, even to the point of being killed by the communists.
Their sacrifice was not in vain, because as we can see today, there are millions of users who utilize the East-West Highway throughout the year. Their service to us all and to the country is truly immense.
