The dredge

When I was a kid I used to see the tin dredge whenever I travelled to Batu Gajah with my mom.At that time my auntie was admitted to the Batu Gajah hospital.It was just a huge machine to me.Unattractive I must say.I also knew that some of my friends were filthy rich because their father were tin miners.Ipoh was the town that tin built.

Now that tin is no longer the main source of income for the country,many of the rich men either ventured into development or they migrate elsewhere.

Somehow we did not realize that the English played a major role in the tin industry.Well they had the technology and knowledge.So to talk about tin mining and dredges,we have to read the book by David Palmer .He was the last CEO of the company Osborne and chappel.They are the big player in this industry and it was them that brought the dredges over to Malaya.

When the tin industry collapsed,the dredges were sold as scrap to others.Only one remains and it is the Tanjung Tualang dredge number 5.

Perakians wanted the government to preserve the TT5 for the future generation and so that was how the dredge is still floating at Tanjung Tualang right now as an icon.Together with the tin museum besides the huge monster,it is now a tourist attraction.The pride of Kinta Valley.

According to David Palmer the dredge was first used at Teja and later shifted to where it is now.It was slowly sinking and the government had to spent a lump sum of money for repair.

 Are the generation Y aware of its existence?Yes and No.Most are not impressed with the huge machine.So basically,only those who are knowledgeable about tin mining are interested and tourist from afar who are interested.

You can preserve the past Glory but how do you attract the young and make them  understand the history of it all?

Not easy I must say so let it be for the tourist to visit.For those who are interested in tin mining,you know where to go.Visit Tanjung Tualang TT5 and while you are there ,you can have awesome seafood in Tanjung Tualang town.

Ends