Yet, there was a time when Kampar was bustling with activity, rich with natural resources and hope for a bright future.
Historians would know that Kampar Hill was the site of the fiercest battle in Malaya during World War II, where the British valiantly fended off assaults by the Japanese.
Relics of the war once littered the hill; today, the site has been excavated, though who knows what tales this humble town may yet have to tell?
This storied past is something academic and professor Gary Lit Ying Loong cherishes – which isn’t surprising, given he is a proud Kampar boy.
Currently based in Singapore, Lit takes great interest in the place where he was born and bred, and is concerned that its importance in Malaysian history is being overlooked.
Speaking with FMT, he cited a recent development project that threatened to destroy the heritage site of Kampar Hill.
Out of concern, Lit wrote an article in a local media publication and enlisted his students in faraway European universities to sign a petition against it. The project has now been halted.
The 63-year-old has also released a book, “If the Sky Were to Fall…”, which sheds insight on the historical events that shook the Kinta Valley during the 1940s and ’50s.
Stories told to him by his late father feature in the book, including that of the terrors of Japanese occupation, the turbulent Emergency years, and the peaceful time that followed.
“The Kampar of the 1960s was very different from the Kampar of today,” Lit told FMT. “The Kinta Valley had a booming tin industry. It was the richest and biggest tin-mining district in the world then.”
Lit remembers growing up during its heyday, when the town’s population was at its peak and the most vibrant.
Mercedes automobiles – a possession of the elite – were commonplace on roads, and shops often saw brisk daily business.
The good days were not to last, however, as political and economic mistakes led to the collapse of global tin prices.
This, according to Lit, turned the previously lively Kinta Valley into the uneventful place it is today. “It’s a shadow of its former glory, with its backbone of the tin industry having collapsed.”
Even now, the impact of that financial disaster can be felt as younger generations have left Kampar for the cities, most of them never to return.
‘A national treasure’
In addition to its tin-mining history, Lit said the town should be remembered for the ferocious battle on Kampar Hill.
“Until today, trenches are still clearly visible,” he said, referring to the deep furrows dug by the British for their defensive positions during the war.
During Lit’s schooldays, his teacher would bring students up Kampar Hill in search of artefacts, digging up bullets and other relics of that tumultuous time.
“It’s a very significant site and a national treasure,” said Lit. “There are even remains of Japanese airplanes and British helicopters from the Emergency period around Kampar Hill.”
He further pointed out that the hill is home to the Batu Berangkai Waterfall, “the most beautiful waterfall in Malaysia”.
While his efforts have helped spare Kampar Hill, other historical treasures have been lost forever. A bridge in nearby Malim Nawar, similar to the well-known bridge over Thailand’s River Kwai, has been demolished for development.
Lit also lamented the destruction of Ipoh’s limestone hills for quarry activity. “The government can and should do more to preserve these national treasures as they are the anchors of memory and markers of identity.”
For Lit, it is important for young Malaysians to recognise the struggles and sacrifices of their forefathers.
“People in Europe really treasure their national heritage,” he said. “They know their local history very well and are proud of it. Sadly, many people in Malaysia don’t seem to know or care.”
So, why does Lit fight to preserve his hometown’s history? Besides his academic responsibility, he has personal reasons.
“I’m a Kampar boy!” he proclaimed proudly. “There is a deep emotive connection to Kampar, and it’s sad to see it deteriorate economically, culturally and spiritually.
“If nothing is done to protect and preserve our heritage, many of these places will be gone very soon.”
Click here to order your copy of professor Gary Lit’s book, ‘If the Sky Were to Fall…’. Proceeds from sales will be donated to needy students in the Kinta Valley.