The Origin and Legend of the Name Kinta
Once upon a time, there was an intriguing legend about a captain and his crew from Sumatra who sailed all the way to Perak via the Kinta River. As the story goes, the ship they were on could not continue its journey when they reached the foot of Gunung Cheroh because the passage was narrow and shallow. One night, the captain leading the voyage dreamt of being visited by a genie named Kulub Kinta. In the dream, the genie told him that he and his descendants would eventually become the Orang Besar Kinta (Great Chiefs of Kinta).
Following the dream, the captain eventually chose the name Kulub Kinta as his title and decided to settle there along with his crew.
It is said that the descendants of this captain held the title of Dato Panglima Kinta, which became one of the Orang Besar Lapan (Eight Great Chiefs) during the Perak Sultanate era. The legend of the genie and the captain from Sumatra is merely a story passed down through generations without historical verification. It may be a myth or simply folklore, as there are no official records to prove it.
It is believed that the family of Dato Panglima Kinta were the first to inhabit, settle, and develop the city of Ipoh and the Kinta area, dating back to the 16th century. According to the Ipoh City Planning Department website, Tun Tambak bin Maharaja Nara Wangsa Nyior Manis was the first Panglima Kinta. It is said that they were the owners of the entire Ipoh area and the Kampung Paloh area. This family also managed administrative affairs throughout the Kinta region. References:
