Before the state capital of Ipoh grew in prominence in the late 19th century, the town of Gopeng, 20 km south, in the Kampar district of Perak, Malaysia was the premier tin mining town, where, as a result of the economic boom, people came to spend money on opium, gambling and women, among many pursuits. The tired and old shop houses in the town center are the vestiges of the heydays of Gopeng, which has sadly gone into steady decline since the tin mining industry collapsed in the 1980s. While most of the heritage buildings in town have been neglected or abandoned, a couple of structures have been dutifully restored by locals to resuscitate the historic town and educate its younger residents and visitors alike of its illustrious past.
. I’m here visiting. I’ll post more videos as I go along.
