By Aida Aziz
Credit photo: JBPM & Kenny Kong
KAMPAR: The Old Kampar Bazaar, originally known as Koong Peng Bazaar, which was destroyed in a recent fire, has deeply affected local residents, especially those who have fond memories of shopping there.
The bazaar, located near Jalan Idris, was synonymous with places like Bazar Bulat in Ipoh and Taiping Bazaar. Many people came here to buy items such as school supplies and everyday clothing.
The Secretary of the Perak Heritage Association, Nor Hisham Zulkiflee, said the bazaar was rebuilt in May 1964 after being destroyed by fire in September 1963.
“This bazaar had unique architectural features and was very well known in Kampar in the past and even until now. It can be said to be a building rich in history.
“We can see people of various ethnic communities in Kampar expressing sadness over the destruction of the bazaar. It used to be a place where people bought school uniforms and clothing for various festive celebrations, as there were tailors operating here.
“There were many shop lots here, including salons, fabric shops, bookstores, shoe shops, and tailoring shops,” he said.
He added that the bazaar was not only a focal point for Kampar residents, but was also visited by customers from Chikus and Chenderong Balai in the past.
Before the fire, the bazaar still had a few traders actively running their businesses, as many others had grown old and gradually ceased operations.
“There is a lot of nostalgia for the generation of the 1970s to 1990s. When the school term began, many parents would flock to this bazaar to look for school supplies, as it was located close to the Kampar main market,” he added.
Unfortunately, the bazaar had been planned for inclusion in the Kampar Heritage Trail due to the historical value of the building and its surrounding area.
“Our association had already identified it as one of the buildings with potential for the Kampar Heritage Trail. This is truly a loss for Perak.
“We encourage improvements in safety measures for old and heritage buildings. Apart from authorities and educational institutions conducting research and documentation on old buildings, at the very least, if they are destroyed, we would still have information to enable reconstruction,” he said.
