Taiping: The Town of Firsts - and How Its Spotlight Faded (Part 3)

Founded in 1906 in Ipoh by two Hainanese immigrants, The Durbar at FMS was Malaya’s oldest bar. Relocated at this building at Market Street, Ipoh in 1923, the establishment was catering mostly to europeans and miners during the Tin mining era.

For a long time, Taiping was the heart of Perak. From the late 1800s until the 1930s, it was the capital and the main centre of government. The British were proud to show it off as a model town. Taiping got rich from the tin mines in Larut - some of the richest in the world -and used that money to build facilities in Taiping that no other town in Malaya had.

That’s why people called Taiping “The Town of Firsts.” It had the first railway in Malaya, running from Taiping to Port Weld in 1885. It also had the first prison, hospital, museum, hill resort, lake gardens, post office, and police force. Its streets were the first to have electric lights, and it had one of the earliest modern water systems in the region.

Tanjong Tualang Tin Dredge No. 5, or TT5, is the only remaining Tin Dredge in the country. In 1997 Malaysian Mining Corporation (MMC) donated TT5 to the Perak government. Today it is used as a tourist attraction

These weren’t just bragging rights. The British wanted Taiping to be a model of order and progress. For many years, it worked. Taiping grew and was very important - not just in Perak, but beyond.

Chinese immigrants labouring in the Tin Mines of Malaya

But, like rivers that change their course, history too moves on. In the early 1900s, attention started shifting to Ipoh. The tin mines in the Kinta Valley were even richer than Larut’s. Investors, workers, and new businesses went to Ipoh, making it grow fast. With more money and people, Ipoh got more government offices too.

Location also helped Ipoh. It’s roughly in the middle of Perak, making it a better spot to serve both north and south parts of the state. As railways grew, Ipoh became the natural hub for transport and trade, attracting even more business and government.

Railway line built to service the nearby quarry in 1906

Taiping’s beautiful location also had its limits. Surrounded by hills, there wasn’t much space for the town to grow. Ipoh, on the other hand, sat on wide flat land - perfect for big buildings, businesses, and homes.

By 1937, the change was complete. The British moved the Perak capital from Taiping to Ipoh. This wasn’t just a new address - it meant Taiping was no longer the state’s leader in politics and business.

Taiping Lake Gardens before sunset

Still, Taiping never disappeared. Its old grand buildings, peaceful Lake Gardens, and proud history of being the place of many “firsts” remains. It may have lost its crown, but Taiping kept its charm intact.

Yet in the quiet years that followed, something unexpected happened - Taiping began to grow into a different kind of greatness. In the final part of this series, Taiping Today: A Town That Time Blessed, we explore how slowing down became its greatest strength, and why its charm now lies in what it chose to keep.