A research project on the Perak Chinese tin mining industry between the 19th to 20th century was launched recently at Grand Kampar Hotel, Kampar.
The two-year UTAR Centre for Chinese Studies Research (CCSR) project, titled ‘Research Project for Perak Chinese Tin Mining Industry (19th – 20th Century)’ is supported by the Perak Chinese Mining Association and will connect the dots between Perak’s tin mining industry and history of the Chinese immigration to Malaya as well as the development of townships in Malaya between the 19th to 20th century.
Invited to launch the significant research project was Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun. Also present were UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik, Perak Chinese Mining Association Advisor Tan Sri Hew See Tong, Perak Chinese Mining Association President Dato’ Chin Lean Choong, and Perak Chinese Mining Association Secretary-General Teoh Beng Suang,
“This project is a tribute to the tin mining industry forefathers who have played a meaningful and impactful role in the country’s development back then,” said Tan Sri Hew, who is also the project’s advisor alongside Dato’ Chin.
Datin Paduka Chew, who is also a UTAR alumna, thanked the University, “It is through UTAR’s education platform that I learnt from the academics and started appreciating history even more during my three-year postgraduate study.” While the research project is an acknowledgement to tin mining industry’s past glory, she mentioned that more importantly, it allows one to see how the rapid growth of tin mining industry back then propelled the nation’s growth economically and logistically, and attracted the Chinese immigrants to settle down permanently as tin miners in Malaya. “I hope that similar projects about other industries in Malaysia can also be carried out similarly as this will be really meaningful.”
The event reached its highlight when Datin Paduka Chew, accompanied by the VIPs, was invited to strike the gong thrice to mark the official launch of the research project.
