Teluk Intan: A Town on an Oxbow Meander River

A hometown is the city or town where one grew up. Teluk Intan is the place where I grew  up and received my first education. Teluk Intan is a famous tourist spot and heritage, and there is a lot of rare uniqueness in this town. A brief introduction here on Teluk Intan; It is a town located in the state of Perak in Malaysia. It is the largest town in Hilir Perak district and third largest town in the state of Perak with an estimated population around 150 000 residents. In the early days, the town was known as Teluk Mak Intan, after a female Mandailing trader. During the British era, the named was changed to Teluk Anson (Anson Bay), in honour of a British Officer and last Liutenant-Governor of Penang, Major General Sir Archibald Edward Harbord Anson who drew the plan of the modern township in 1882. In 1982, the name was changed again to Teluk Intan (Diamond Bay) by the Sultan of Perak.  

One of the uniqueness of Teluk Intan is the Leaning Tower. The leaning tower of Teluk Intan was built in 1885 and still standing strong even though it reaches over 100 years. It is actually a water tank for clean water supply and in preparation for drought or fire. Additionally, this tower is equipped with clock as a timer and was instrumental in navigating the ships to this town back in those days. The unique tower with this pagoda-shaped architecture has 3 floors although it looks like 8 floors from outside. it was built by an architect named Leong Choon Choong. The tower began to lean over after the great floods in 1889 and 1885. The other factor that contributed to the inclination were due to the soft soil and was influenced by the load of the water tank in the tower. The main street at the centre of Teluk Intan, Jalan Ah Cheong is named after Leong Choon Choong to commemorate his contribution.

Another unique attraction in Teluk Intan is the Batu Tenggek (Sitting Boulder). This stone is believed to have been placed by British soldiers and its size at that time was as big as a matchbox but after a few years, the small stone grew bigger until it reached a size of boulder. It is because the rock is growing year to year. After a close inspection, it is found that crystals can be seen across the rock surface and the crystals have expanded and made the size of the stone grow bigger and bigger. Batu Tenggek is now part of a war memorial built to celebrate World War 1 and World War 2. The plaque on the memorial carries a line from Laurence Binyon's famous poem, For the Fallen

"At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them."

1914 - 1918

The Ruin of Raja Muda's Palace also played an important role in Teluk Intan history once upon a time. This palace was once the official residence of the Raja Muda of Perak and is also one of the heritage of the Sultanates. This palace was built around 1922 and the first Raja Muda who stayed in this palace was Sultan Abdul Aziz al-Mutasim Billah Shah ibni al-Marhum Raja Muda Musa who later on became the 31st Sultan of Perak. The palace was last occupied by the late Raja Muda Ahmad Sifuddin. In 1988, the official residence for DYTM Raja Muda Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah was transferred to Ipoh. After that, this palace that once was the official residence of the Raja Muda Perak was abandoned until today. 

There are much more interesting things to do in Teluk Intan too as it is surrounded by Perak River. If you happened to be in Teluk Intan, go for a river cruise to watch fireflies, white birds along the Perak River or watch sunset with loved ones. There's always a place for you to enjoy and check on. Remember, life is all about having a good time.



Prepared by,

Nisha Many

Course Counsellor
Vision College