"AnnA_NyE"

PERAK

History

Perak's known civilisation dates back to the 15th century. But from that time until the 18th century, the state history was a swirl of power struggles, wars, coups and court intrigue.

The present Sultanate of Perak dates back to 1528 when Sultan Muzaffar, the eldest son of the last Sultan of Melaka, established his dynasty on the banks of the Perak river.

Perak's great wealth in tin put her in a state of constant threat from the Thais in the north and the Acehnese and Bugis in the south during the 16th to 18th centuries.

During the 1700s, the Dutch also tried unsuccessfully, to monopolise the tin trade. This constant warring and lawlessness, along with a power struggle between the successors to the Perak throne, gave the British administrators at the time the perfect opportunity to intervene.

At the signing of the Pangkor Treaty in 1874, the British governor Sir Andrew Clarke installed Sultan Abdullah on the throne with the condition that he accepted a British Resident.

Perak means 'silver' in Malay, a reference to the silvery tin ore from which the state drew its wealth for centuries. The rich tin area, known as the Kinta Valley, was heavily mined for all of Perak's known history.

When the tin mining industry collapsed in the mid-'80s, economic activities were restructured around agriculture, manufacturing, construction, trade and commerce.

There has been continuous industrial growth and development of infrastructure in the intervening 20 years.

Emphasis has also been given to fishing, forestry, cottage industries and tourism. Ipoh is one of the more progressive cities in Malaysia and is fast becoming a focal point of industry, business investment and education.