Showing posts with label Teluk Intan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teluk Intan. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Batu Tenggek (War Memorial), Teluk Intan



Another attraction in Teluk Intan is the 'Batu Tenggek' (Sitting Boulder) which is situated at a junction in the town centre. The rock was believed to be placed by a British soldier and was a size of a matchbox. Over the years, the small rock grew bigger until it reached the size of a boulder. Upon closer inspection, crystal-like substances can be seen throughout the rock's surface. As crystals have expanding properties, this might explain the growing nature of the stone. This boulder is now part of a local war memorial built to commemorate World War I and World War II. The plaque on the memorial carries a line from Laurence Binyon's famous poem, For the Fallen :

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them

Friday, December 4, 2009

Leaning Tower ( Menara Condong) Teluk Intan



Malaysia boasts its own equivalent to the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, right here at the heart of the Teluk Intan town centre. Like its Italian counterpart, the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan has a leftward slant, and all the ingredients to make it an architectural sight to behold. It was erected in 1885 by a Chinese builder, Mr. Leong Choon Cheong. It started to tilt four years after its construction finished due to an underground stream. The tower had a clock at the top, and still rings every 15 minutes now. The clock tower was originally used as a water tower, supplying water to the town area, while also reporting the time to all townfolks. It had also served as a beacon to guide ships into Teluk Intan Port.



Standing at 25.5 metres tall, its construction detail gives it an appearance comprising of 8 different levels. Once inside, however, one will be surprised to discover that the building is actually divided only into 3 storeys











Currently it is a local tourist attraction, and no longer stores water. The area around the tower was paved with bricks and became a plaza. The main street at the centre of Teluk Intan is also named after Mr. Leong Choon Cheong to commemorate his contribution. The name of the street is "Jalan Ah Cheong"