Case Study : Taiping Gaol

ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION & HERITAGE TOURISM IN MALAYSIA CASE STUDY :

TAIPING GAOL

The Taiping Prison, established in 1879, better known as the Taiping Gaol.

(Gaol is a variant spelling for jail and was popular during the 19th century.)

Established at a time when Chinese gangs running the tin mines were engaged in open conflict and the state was fairly lawless. Convict labour helped to build much of Taiping and also ran various trades from within the prison such as a laundry and bakery. It is still an active prison and needless to say is not open to the public but even from the exterior we can see that it is a well preserved example of a Victorian gaol.

Establishment Established by Sir Hugh Low, the third President of Perak in 1879. Straits Settlements were the earliest states to develop their prisons whereas the Malay states like Perak only began to develop their prisons only after the British had established an administration that would be responsible for the same. Also to quell further unrest in the wake of the Larut Wars.

With the largest prison in the Malay states at the time, the prison administration was established with a view to engender suffering in the lives of the prisoners in the hope that it would deter people from committing crimes.

Sikh warders were brought in to assist Malay warders and vocational trainers were brought in from Hong Kong to introduce prison industry.

In the era of development and modernisation, the Prisons Department keeps the building function forward and be innovative in the areas of criminology, penology and social control as a whole, to ensure the smooth running of prison administration in dealing with modern cultures in this heritage building.

An exercise was introduced to place prison inmates into categories.

With the establishment of the Federate Malay States, Taiping Prison became the detention centre for prisoners with long sentences from Perak, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor.

Managed by British officers from 1879 to 1960, it was later named Taiping Training Centre. On 9 January 1992, the prison was renamed the Taiping Prison, or Penjara Taiping in Malay.

The system of “Visiting Justices” was introduced.

Prison industry had been developed and included printing works, cloth production, sewing and rattan and ironworking.

Soon, stoneworking was halted and replaced with coconut dehusking

After the Second World War, prison conditions were improved when modern administrative methods and “modern treatment” concept were introduced.

Taiping Prison was used as a public prison and also a Japanese prisoner-of-war detention centre. It was during this period that all records about the prison and its inmates were destroyed.

Ownership and Management

Taiping Gaol is owned by government and managed by Malaysian Prison Department. With management profile :

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Taiping Prison is one of the few remaining symbols of significant old Taiping’s Innovation Period - ‘tin built city’, (1879-1945), when the city’s built environment transformation took place and lawlessness was rampant.

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Within more than 100 years of serving as a prison, Taiping Goal’s inmates were not only solely convicts but also servicemen and nationalists who fought against the Japanese and British for Malaya’s liberation.

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Taiping Gaol’s long relationship with Perak has been important in its evolution, contributes to the story of Perak’s civilization.

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Regardless of its past operations, it remains as a historical landmark of Taiping until today. The prison is the local and national interest because it is the oldest prison in the Federated Malay States.

Taiping Prison’s

SIG NIF ICA NT VALUES

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Taiping Gaol’s architecture is strongly influenced

by British colonial prison structure and design which emphasizes security and manual operation, reflecting a relic of the Victorian period.

Prison design introduced by Spooner, that was suitable to the local climate and culture. Elements including courtyards, jack-roofs, large overhangs and the Victorian front gate and columns.

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The watch towers marks the early presence of Malaysia’s modern regional architecture.

Taiping Prison was built on a land measuring 5.159 hectares by prisoners of war or convicts brought in from India and Africa and the construction materials were imported from England through the British East India Company. Like wooden fences and 5 interconnecting semi-brick buildings.

Taiping Prison’s

ARC HITEC TURAL HERITAGE VALUES

Issue and Challenges Lack of Public Awareness

Poor Maintenance and Upgrading Work

Since it’s not opened for public, poor conservation awareness and understanding of Taiping Gaol’s role in Perak’s history. Lacking of historical information and knowledge of nationalists/servicemen who served time in the prison could change the nation’s perception towards the prison.

Poor maintenance and supervision has aged the building even more. The whole stretch wall looks decrepit while it is the main facade. Recent repainting on certain portions has extracted the artistic value of the whole

How Taiping Gaol can promote its architectural heritage for tourism revenue?

Seek to conserve the key historical and architectural aspects without detracting the setting and appearance of the prison. Suggested conservation policies for Taiping Gaol are as follows:

By raising profile awareness of Taiping Gaol as one of the major national importance.

Developing an accessible story and image of Taiping Gaol, and undertaking education and interpretation work to publicize this story on different tourism platforms and via internet

By cooperating between Public and Private Bodies

Linking with existing tourism networks to coordinate and facilitate the process of publicizing and organizing visitor’s experience and awareness of the prison.

Public

Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry of Tourism and Culture

Effective communication and collaboration

Formation of Taiping Heritage Council as an advisor for Taiping Gaol conservation Funds Taiping Heritage Trail and tourism promotions that used for Taiping Gaol

Private

Perak Heritage Society

Badan Warisan Malaysia

Organize events like campaigns and fairs about Taiping Gaol Initiate heritage education,research and documentation of Taiping Gaol

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