This work are belong to Che Engku Nur Idayu Binti Che Engku Adzi (2011886786), Nor Hamizah bt Ibrahim (2011477748), Nur Afiqah Bt Salleh (2011601644) and Rahsila Emira Binti Alias (2011253412) here it is :
Dungun is a coastal district of the Malaysian state of Terengganu. Kuala Dungun is the capital of the district.
Kuala Dungun town used to be an iron mining town in the 1940s. Iron ores were actually mined in a small town inland called Bukit Besi located to the west, while Kuala Dungun served as the port where the ore was transferred onto ships. Kuala Dungun and Bukit Besi were then connected with a railway line that not only served the mining industry but also served as public transportation for inland villagers, the Dungun township and its businesses.
This "golden" era ended in the late 70s and early 80s.
When the mines were gradually closed-down, the rail service stopped and the company left the area. Bukit Besi is now a Government-financed plantation estate; the rolling hills and old British architecture are now long gone, replaced by Felda Estate housing and palm oil trees. Kuala Dungun is now just another town on the coast of Terengganu, sorely bereft of cultural activities, with no cinemas and only comes alive every Thursday when the weekly nightmarket opens up for business. It is well known as the biggest night-market in Terengganu and featured second-hand clothing (imported from Japan and the United States) and also food of all sorts. People from the outskirts would be flowing into town for the cheap goods. The night market is situated right in the middle of town, taking over a portion of the old railway line.
Nowadays, it is not a busy small town anymore. There are still pockets of fishing and farming families and some people involved in small businesses, while a large part of the population are involved with the petroleum industry concentrated in another township in the south, Kerteh.
Tanjung Jara Resort with its beautiful stretch of beaches, situated on the other side of the river mouth is still popular with foreigners and West Coast tourists. For those who look for eco-tourism spot, D'Pengkalan Eco Resort offer 3 natures spot at cool location in Dungun district.
Culture
Dungun was the recreational place for British employees of the mining company of the day. It was where they relaxed and pursue extracurricular activities. There were music halls, record stores, cricket fields etc. that made Dungun different from other townships in Terengganu at the time. The locals were somehow influenced by this, especially by the 60's and 70s pop music brought in by the stores to cater for the British. The late 70's were known as the time where there were a lot of local musicians and bands active in the small township. One of the bands was Purple Haze, a psychedelic hard rock band in which Malaysia's well-known music composer Manan Ngah a member. The first Malaysian punk rock scene was started here in 1978/79 by Joe Kidd and his friends.
As of 2006, Dungun is experiencing an uplift. To keep money in the district, Dungun has received an influx of funds that has gone to the improvement of roads and establishment of several new shopping areas.
Bukit Tebuk Tunnel
The Bukit Tebuk Tunnel which is about 120 meters long at Kampung Che Lijah in Dungun, build in 1935 is a surviving remnants of the Bukit Besi Mines and its glorious past.
Trains transporting iron ore and passengers used to run pass this historic tunnel from Bukit Besi to the jetty at Sura.
Trains transporting iron ore and passengers used to run pass this historic tunnel from Bukit Besi to the jetty at Sura.
This tunnel is a well known site in Terengganu, especially to the people in the district of Dungun back in the old days. Bukit Tebuk or literally translated as Perforation Hill, has been officially named as one of the historical site in Dungun, Terengganu. This hill (bukit) was perforated (tebuk) to make way for the rail carrier, hence the name Bukit Tebuk Tunnel. This tunnel is located in Kampuung Nibong Kubur.
Bukit Tebuk Tunnel construction started in 1935 and finished in 1936 and was used as a main track for the train which carries ores and miners from Bukit Besi to Sura Gate Port which is located at Pantai Teluk Lipat. The railway was closed from operation around 1970’s after the ore mine in Bukit Besi was closed. However the tunnel is still used until now by the locals as a alternative way to reach the main road of Kuantan-Kuala Terengganu to avoid the havoc of central and also as a passage for the locals to reach Bandar Dungun.
Sadly, this historical site today is no longer as majestic as it used to be, the place is now looked almost like a dump, with vines and garbage everywhere, with signs of drug addicts and graffiti all over the walls. This historical site needs to be taken care of by the authorities to make sure this historical site will gain its majestical state once more, even though it has been closed for a long time.
BUKIT BESI
I can think of better explanation about bukit besi than this guide article about Bukit Besi's History ....It better than my description about Bukit besi and would not be right for me to continue using my article when this guy has wrote a very good description about Bukit Besi, Terengganu in his article.
Title the Legacy of Iron Hill by ALIAS MOHAMED
It was once the centre of iron-mining activities, a town that boomed with activities and jobs for 8,000 people. ALIAS MOHAMED revisits Bukit Besi
IT was 50 years ago when I witnessed the first Jalur Gemilang being hoisted at Padang Astaka in Bukit Besi (Iron Hill), Terengganu to celebrate the historic Merdeka Day. At that time, the old “Iron Town” was still lively and filled with activities.
One of the plants for processing iron ore
But today, it is far from what it used to be. It is now very quiet – especially in the hills. In the old days, convoys of heavy vehicles and mining vessels snaked their way up the hills amidst sounds of activities and explosions from the mines. Indeed, Bukit Besi was well-known, not only in this region, but throughout the world including America and Japan.
“At that time, nobody would have thought that Bukit Besi would just ‘die away’ like this,” said a former iron ore miner, 72-year-old Mat Husin Abdullah.
Bukit Besi, located 85km from Kuala Terengganu and formerly known as Permata Bumi or literally the “Jewel of the Earth”, was first opened for iron-ore mining in 1916. But, about a century later, the mines were closed when the lodes were depleted.
Initially, the mining was undertaken by a Japanese company but it was taken over by the British after the world war in 1945.
Later, another company from America, known as the Eastern Mining & Metal Company Limited (EMMCO) took over the operations until the place was closed in early 70s. Nearly 8,000 workers, including foreigners, were employed in the mines.
Besides providing the locals with jobs, the company also provided a better and modern standard of living for the workers compared to people in other parts of Terengganu. The nearest town is Dungun, about 30km away.
Bukit Besi used to be known as Bukit Seri Bangun and stood at 400m high. It was the centre for mining activities. But somehow, the hill does not seem to be that high now and plants that used to grow on the slopes have disappeared. The whole place looks ghostly.
Saving A Legacy
In an effort to save the legacy of Bukit Besi, the Terengganu State Government has decided to gazette all the former iron-mine sites in and around it as historical heritage.
Terengganu State Culture, Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) committee chairman Din Adam said several lots had been identified and allocated for the project, including a site for a museum.
Among the places earmarked are Bukit Seren and Bukit Tebuk, two distinguished landmarks of the iron-mine town. Also included for preservation are the remains of the mining equipment as well as railway tracks and tunnels for transporting and processing the iron ore.
A former Bukit Besi iron mine worker, Ananda Kumar, 68, came all the way from India to visit his “hometown” recently. He said: “It’s very sad to see a place, that used to be known as one of the booming towns in this region, so neglected and left to rot as if it has no historical value,” he said in almost perfect Bahasa Malaysia.
How To Get There
From Kuantan, drive along the interior road passing through Bandar Al-Mukhtafi Billah Shah (Ketengah) for 170km before turning into Bukit Besi on the left. It is 32km from Dungun and 90km from Kuala Terengganu. Contact Pusat Khidmat Masyarakat DUN Bukit Besi, Tel: 09-833 7100.
Located 85 km south of Kuala Terengganu, iron-ore at Bukit Besi was first discovered by a team of Japanese geologists in 1919 and in 1923; Kuhara Mining Company secured the mining rights and placed Dungun in the world map. The company employed 130 Japanese and more than 3,000 locals to work in the mine. During World War II, the mining was taken over by Nippon Mining Company but the hardship of war had taken its toll on the production of the iron ore. It was taken over by a British company after the war ended. Later on, an American mining company, Eastern Mining & Metal Company Limited (EMMCO) took over the operations employing more than 8,000 workers including locals and foreigners. Dungun district emerged as one of the world’s largest iron-ore supplier to meet the world industrial demand.
However, in the early 1970’s, economic downturn and the depleting resources was the reason good enough for the company to abandon the operation as it is no longer viable to mine. Today, visitors can still marvel at the remnants of tunnels, processing plants, stockpile buildings, the manager’s exclusive residence and parts of the rail tracks to Pantai Teluk Lipat in Kuala Dungun. Chimneys spread among the vast area further adds to the mystery. It was believed to be remnants of a network of underground processing plant built by the Japanese during the second World War. To those looking for souvenirs, some raw, unprocessed iron-ore can still be found scattered on the ground, a stark reminder of one of the biggest iron-ore producer in the world.
How To Get Here
By car
From Kuala Terengganu, head south towards Jerangau-Jabor route until junction with Route 14 (Jalan Jabor-Al Muktafi Billah Shah). Head south on Route 14 until you reach Bukit Besi. From Dungun town, take Route 132 (Jalan Bukit Besi-Dungun) from Kuala Dungun westward until junction with Route 14 (Jalan Jabor-Al Muktafi Billah Shah). Head south on Route 14 until you reach Bukit Besi.
By air
There are flights to Kuala Terengganu by Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia or Firefly. From the airport, grab an airport taxi or hire a car to southbound Dungun.
THE HISTORY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ‘DUNGUN DISTRICT MUSEUM’
The idea of the establishment of the District Museum came from the Launching of the East Coast Economic Region ( ECER ) by the Y.A.B. the Prime Minister of Malaysia on the 28th October 2007 who stressed on promoting tourism of the beaches, the islands, the cultures and the heritage of tourism. The Terengganu Museum Board had proposed to the State Government establish a museum in the Dungun District because Dungun is well-known all over the world for its connection with iron ore mining in Bukit Besi since the 1930s. A ‘soft opening’ ceremony of the Dungun District Museum was held in 19th August 2008.
http://museum.terengganu.gov.my/maxc2020/agensi/article.php?cid=43&aid=6966 (portal rasmi museum Terengganu)
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