Unlocking Ipoh’s rich history: UniKL and MBI collaborate on landmark study

In a pioneering initiative, Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and the Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (MBI) have joined forces to unveil a comprehensive account of Ipoh, the vibrant heart of Perak and Malaysia’s third-largest city.

This groundbreaking collaboration officially inked on October 17th through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), promises to shed new light on the city’s history and morphology as well as early Malay settlements.

Representing UniKL, the Acting President/Chief Executive Officer, and Deputy President (International, Industrial & Institutional Partnership) Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Azman Senin took the stage alongside the Mayor of Ipoh, Y. Bhg. Dato’ Rumaizi Baharin@Md Daud, who stood as MBI’s distinguished representative.

The ceremony was graced by the Head of WHIP MBI Councilor, Y.Bhg. Dato’ Mazlan Abdul Rahman, and the Chief Executive Officer of UniKL Royal College of Medicine Perak (UniKL RCMP), Encik Hisshamudin Omar.

This partnership, facilitated by UniKL RCMP, will harness the technical university’s formidable expertise to trace the evolution of Ipoh from its early Malay settlements to the bustling metropolis we see today.

The study will further examine the Malay community’s pivotal role in Ipoh’s administration, focusing on economic and political contributions throughout its history.

Beyond the history books, the initiative will identify and preserve heritage remnants of the Malay community, transforming them into invaluable tourism assets for future generations.

This project will also be an essential reference and guide for stakeholders involved in the city’s physical and economic development within MBI’s administrative jurisdiction.

In a spirit of flexibility, the collaboration opens doors for various other areas of cooperation, as per the mutual agreements between the involved parties.

Notably, this research was led by a team of five dedicated researchers, featuring three researchers from UniKL RCMP, one independent researcher, and one from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Alam, Selangor.

The study was conducted over six months, commencing in January and concluding in October 2022, with continuous oversight from the esteemed Malaysian Historical Society, Perak Branch.