The History and Origins of Tanjung Malim

Tanjung Malim is renowned in the state of Perak as a town that has produced many scholars and national heroes. It was also in this town that the spirit of nationalism first rose among the Malays to oppose colonialists and restore the sovereignty of the Malay nation in Tanah Melayu.

This time, orangperak.com would like to revisit the history of how Tanjung Malim came to be, so that it is better known, especially by the younger generation, and not simply forgotten. Tanjung Malim originally started as a large cape (a land area formed by river erosion). Tanjong Malim is a town located in the south of Perak Darul Ridzuan. This town borders the state of Selangor Darul Ehsan and is topographically adjacent to the state of Pahang Darul Makmur. With the Titiwangsa Range as a backdrop and its location on the banks of the Bernam River, Tanjong Malim is an attractive gateway town to the state of Perak.

This area was initially explored by six Bugis warriors and named Tanjung Jambu. Around 1870, a major civil war broke out in Pahang between two sons of the Bendahara of Pahang, Wan Ahmad and Wan Mutahir. Because of this, Dato’ Hj. Mustapha bin Raja Kamala, who was a follower of Tok Gajah @ Imam Perang Rasu and one of the leaders of the Rao community in Gali, Raub, led his followers from the Rao community to migrate to Tanjung Malim. It is said that he represented the Rao people in Gali to seek forgiveness from Bendahara Wan Ahmad because the Rao people had been fighting each other in Pahang. Due to his shame before Tok Gajah, he decided to move all his followers to Tanjung Malim. Dato Hj Mustapha once ordered his subordinate, Panglima Kanan, to fetch his cousin who was still in Nagari Kota Raja, Rao, named Hajah Rahmah Bt. Haji Siun, to be brought to Bernam or Tg. Malim. Panglima Kanan later married Hajah Rahmah. Because Panglima Kanan was originally married to someone from Kampung Simpang Empat, Tanjung Malim, Hajah Rahmah decided she did not want to be in a polygamous marriage. Following this event, family turmoil ensued. Panglima Kanan then divorced his first wife on the grounds that they had no offspring together. Consequently, Dato’ Hj. Mustapha ordered Panglima Kanan to migrate across the Bernam River, where Panglima Kanan opened up the Kalumpang area. The name Kalumpang was taken from a tree called the Kelumpang tree, and it was in that area that Panglima Kanan established a settlement with his followers, in what is now known as the town of Kalumpang. At that time, Bernam or Tanjung Malim was still under the administration of Selangor.

Dato’ Hj. Mustapha was appointed as the first Penghulu (Headman) of Bernam or Tanjung Malim, and Panglima Kanan was appointed as his assistant. At that time, Kalumpang was under the administration of Tanjung Malim, which explains the historical connection between the two. When the border between Perak and Selangor was established following the flow of the Bernam River, Tanjung Malim officially came under the administration of Perak, while Kalumpang remained under the administration of Selangor to this day. To commemorate the services of Dato’ Hj Mustapha, the Perak government agreed to the request of his kin to name a road in the Kampung Kubu area, near the old Tanjung Malim bus station, as Jalan Hj. Mustapha Bin Raja Kamala. The grave of the late Dato’ Hj. Mustapha is located in the Cabang cemetery, Tanjung Malim. It was once told that the late Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Abu Bakar, visited the grave of Dato’ Hj. Mustapha without protocol. This was because Tun Dato Hj. Mustapha was once the leader of the Rao community in Gali and a loyal follower of Tok Gajah. The late Sultan Abu Bakar came to Tanjung Malim to honor his loyalty to his ancestor, Sultan Ahmad Shah, at that time. In conjunction with the location of this very large cape, Tuan List (a representative of the Straits Settlements government) and Raja Itam named the town Tanjong, while the word Malim (mu'alim) relates to the residents of the Tanjong area who were very diligent in their religious worship at that time. Since long ago, this town has been better known as an Education Town. The field of education is synonymous with this town because of the presence of a higher education institution here, namely the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), which was initially established under the name Sultan Idris Training College (SITC) in 1922, which successfully produced many scholars and professionals.

In terms of its terrain, Tanjong Malim is an area with gentle slopes surrounded by hills (the Titiwangsa Range). The town is located 84 km north of Kuala Lumpur and 145 km south of the Perak state capital, Ipoh. Besides being known as an Education Town, Tanjong Malim also has the potential to become a rapidly developing town in southern Perak. Based on existing economic activities and planned industrial developments such as the automotive, plantation, and manufacturing industries, Tanjong Malim is expected to become a rapidly developing town in southern Perak. This opinion, which has been discussed for a long time, has been strengthened by the construction of the national car factory, Proton, in Proton City, as well as the development of new residential areas, recreational areas, and more.