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Kulim(居林)is the southern town of Kedah state(吉打), nearest to Bukit Mertajam town, Penang state. It is also connected to Butterworth by Butterworth -Kulim Expressway.
It derived its name from a timber tree, Scorodocarpus borneensis or Olacaceae. The Kulim (Scorodocarpus borneensis) tree, for instance, is recognisable from its bark and fruit that smell like garlic. Also known as “pokok bawang hutan”. The timber is a Medium Hardwood with a density of 640-975 kg/m3 air dry.
(ref: MTC Wood wizaed, http: //woodwizard.mtc.com.my:8888/report.asp?ItemID=54)
History
Discovery of tin
• Kulim as a town was started in mid 18th century by 100 Malays from Pattani(which is current South Thailand). By mid 19th century Kulim experienced a boom due to the discovery of tin ore. By 1890, there were 400 Chinese miners operating in Kulim. One of Kulim’s earliest settlements was a place called Belakang Tebok.
• The biggest tin mining facilities in kulim were Taman Tunku Putra, Kg. Bukit Besar, Karangan, Terap and Kelang Lama. Archived records show that by 1854 there were 8 tin mining companies that were active in Kulim with a total workforce of 1500 people.
• It is believed that the tin miners from Perak ( Larut, Matang, Taiping and Selama), where the people who started kulim as a town. The miners were looking for a new place to start as they did not want to be embroiled in the triad conflict that is constantly under the surface in the aforementioned areas in Perak (Ghee Hin and Hai San, the most active Triad during those times).
• These miners escaped from Perak through the jungles of Kulim to head to Penang (Penang was a busy English port by then), but during their journey through the forest they discovered tin in the rivers and quarries. This prompted their decision to settle in Kulim and mine the ores there, without the interference of the triads elsewhere.(Note: Kulim is connected to Taiping, via a road which go through Serdang, and Selama, which are rubber estates town. Selama is a border town where it was divided by the state border of Kedah and Perak)
(source: extract from official web site of Majlis Perbandaran Kulim)
The Beautiful Nyonya War
• In 1888 there was a major incident in Kulim, dubbed ‘Beautiful Nyonya War’ (Perang Nyonya Cantik) or Kulim War (Perang Kulim). This incident started when the mining chiefs of Kulim fought over a popular Chinese lady of the time. The chiefs mobilized their respective workers in this seemingly minor squabble escalated into a major riot. Peace and tranquility enjoyed by the people of Kulim was disrupted by this incident and it dragged on for a number of years, and claimed a number of lives of the involved parties.
• The direct consequences of this incident was the hiring of a British national (B.E. Mitchell) as the chief of police of Kulim (1890) by the ruler of Kedah.
(source: extract from official web site of Majlis Perbandaran Kulim)
The Anglo-Siamese Treaty 1909
The Anglo-Siamese Treaty 1909, Siam(now Thailand) surrendered its claim over Kedah(together with Perlis, Kelantan and Trengganu) to the British. The three states together with Johore, later become Unfederated Malay States. However, unlike the Strait Settlement, they lack common institutions to form a single state under international law. Only by 1923 did Sultan Abdul Hamid of Kedah sign a treaty which recognizes Kedah as a state under British protectorate.
Road to Independence
In 1946,the Strait Settlement was dissolved, the 5 Unfederated Malay States and 4 Federated Malay States (Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan & Pahang), and the remaining Strait Settlement states Penang and Malacca, together formed the Malay Union.In 1948, the 9 Malay states was reconstituted as Federation of Malaya, but remained as British protected states, Penang and Malacca remained as British colonies. Kedah gained indepedence together with other states on 31-8-1957 from British, and become state of Malaysia.
Kulim Independece Clock
* the Kulim’s independence clock was officiated by the Sultan of Kedah (15 September 1957) and serves as the unofficial landmark for the city of Kulim. The cornerstone of the clock was acquired by YPM Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj (the First Prime Minister if Malaya, later Malaysia) on 14th June 1957.
* The construction of the clock was completed within 3 months and upon completion, was made formalized by DYMM Tuanku Sultan Badlishah Ibni Almarhum Yang Di Pertuan Paduka Seri Sultan Abdul Hamid Shah, KOM, CMG, KBE Sultan Kedah on 15th September 1957, or 2 weeks after the declaration of independence of Malaysia (31st August 1957).
(source: extract from official web site of Majlis Perbandaran Kulim)
Kulim used to be a quite town in late 70s and 80s, with the row of re-war colonial shop houses at both side of the main road(Jalan Raya) abandoned and unoccupied. The busiest area is still around Jalan Aman and Jalan Pasar. In front of Jalan Tunku Assad used to be bus station. There was a cinema near the Catholic Church, Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is dead after 9p.m. There were few residential areas at that time.
The town has experienced rapid development after Intel and other factories opened factories in Kulim Industrial Park. It is now a booming town. Many Penang people moved to the town. Some of the pre-war shops at Jalan Raya are now occupied, and some are demolished for development. It is a pity, if the pre-war houses were allowed to demolish or in its dilapidated condition, Kulim will lost part of its most valuable heritage. I hope the Kulim town council will do something to conserve the pre-war buidings for the future generation. Kulim old town has its historical value. Kulim still have other available space for development.
The development has spilled to Lunas and Kampong Kelang Lama(which used to have Indian settlement). Many residential areas were developed in Kulim now. There is Kulim High Tech Park, Kulim Indutrial Park.
List of suburbs
Bukit Keranji
Bukit Kulim
Kampung Air Merah
Kampung Darul Aman
Kampung Syed Syeh
Kampung Tunku Putra
Keladi
Kelang Lama
Taman Bersatu
Taman Dahlia
Taman Kempas Indah
Taman Kemuning
Taman Selasih(biggest suburb, completed with commercial centre)
Taman Semarak
Taman Seroja
Night view of Jalan Tunku Putra from T junction
Jalan Tunku Putra and Jalan Tunku Assad T junction
The lowest hydrant ever seen
Night view of Jalan Tunku Assad from Jalan Tunku Ibrahim junction
The corner shop at junction of Jalan Aman and Jalan Tunku Ibrahim. Beside the shop used to have row of stall, including the one selling cassettes in the 80s, which played the song loud.
View of Jalan Aman, toward Jalan Merdeka( it used to have hawker complex which is popular before 1980s, now demolished).
Row of colonial shop houses at Jalan Aman
view of shop houses
Night view of Jalan Aman
View of junction toward Jalan Tunku Putra, from Jalan Aman
Jalan Aman
Jalan Tunku Putra,believed named after the 1st Prime Minister of Malaysia, YPM Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj. Tunku was the 7th district officer of Kulim (1939-1943) after he returned from England. He was the only Malay district officer at that time in Kedah public service. He was also district officer during Japanese occupation, but an ex-Japanese barber from Alor Star with the name of Ohata, who become Japanese army officer during WW2, was sharing the role of district officer with him. Tunku, was reported to have used his royal position to save lives during Japanese occupation in Kulim,
Jalan Tunku Putra,the sky is dark now...
An old colonial bunglow, inside Jalan Tunku Putra
Near St Thomas Secondary School
In the late 70s, this was the new block of shops in town. Remember there was Ong Clinic at the ground floor of the corner lot.
居林張茂樹路 超市林立商機勃勃
2004-4-28 14:45:07
文：劉必強
在居林縣內，近乎所有的街道名字都以馬來名命名，只有一條位于居林商業中心的道路，以華裔先賢的名字命名，那就是張茂樹路（Jalan Teoh Moh Soo）。
由于居林市區發展蓬勃，加上這條僅短短328尺的道路卻有4家超級市場、多家熟食中心以及各行各業，今天的張茂樹路已成爲一條主要及熱鬧的道路，在佳節來臨時更是熱鬧非凡、水泄不通。
張茂樹路之所以被命名，原因是此地段曾是已故張茂樹所有，同時也爲了紀念及表揚他爲僑胞們所作出的貢獻及犧牲。這不但讓張茂樹的後裔引以爲榮，更讓居林華社沾光。
據稱，在早期，張茂樹路以商業爲主，更有一所戲院，是居民娛樂消閑好去處。在80年代後期，由于超級市場崛起，加上錄影及光碟流行，戲院難逃關閉厄運，改爲超級市場，讓張茂樹路看來更爲商業化，一直到今天。
20歲小夥子下南洋 帶動僑胞發展居林
張茂樹生于1872年6月20日，于1891年南渡時，還是一名年僅20的小夥子。當年下南洋後，便在居林成家立業，更育有12名子女。這個大家庭在居林甚至到海外，一直不斷地擴展到今天。
已故張茂樹立足居林後，憑著滿腔熱血，帶動居林南下僑胞開拓及發展居林。張茂樹也是華社與政府之間的橋梁，華社與政府之間因爲他而上情下達，鞏固了居林縣的社會結構，也爲居林的發展帶來事半功倍之效。
據悉，已故張茂樹老先生爲人慷慨、樂善好施之余，還是一名熱愛祖國的漢子。1937年中國與日軍抗戰長達8年時期，他號召吉南僑胞、華社與鄉團，擔任籌赈會主席，出錢出力，四處奔走籌款，也典當自己的財産獻捐救國。
在1939年6月3日，他義無反顧地在移風劇社于居林義演時上台呼籲捐款。在爲祖國抛頭顱、灑熱血的當兒，卻因爲筋疲力盡昏倒在台上，命喪于此，享年66歲。而當時，排行老麽的兒子也只不過年僅3歲。
當年張茂樹逝世時，地方官員、中國領事館領事、華僑各社團皆前往追悼，遠近的人們也前來送殡，而殡葬隊伍及挽聯更達數裏長。當前行隊伍經已進入新邦知甲墳地，後面送行的隊伍仍然在居林大街緩行，場面煞是壯觀，可見這名僑領在人們心目中的地位超然。
已故張茂樹有生之年，他與國父東姑阿都拉曼交情甚笃。據悉，也是我國第1任首相的東姑阿都拉曼于1938年至1943年，到居林擔任縣長。
創辦居林覺民小學 張茂樹化解大災難
張茂樹，是居林覺民小學主要創辦人之一，他曾連任該校多屆董事長，把校董團結一致。此外，在作育英才方面，他付出了不少血汗。爲了有一所設備健全的學校，他籌募建立校舍、教學設備、聘請師資、關心校務建設以及教學質量，甚至籌募教學所需的費用。他經常自掏腰包，對辦學不遺余力，許多貧困兒童因此而獲得就讀機會。
居林當年首間華校覺民小學創辦于1918年，並曾在開辦初期掀起一場大風波。據說，當年實力頗大的福建及廣東兩幫，因爲對覺民小學校舍的建設藍圖各持己見，造成近乎大打出手的局面。張茂樹在衆領袖的推崇下咬緊牙龈挺身而出，發函召開有史以來居林最大規模的僑衆大會，廣邀各縣代表的十二商聯合會及雙方支持者到廣福宮與會。
當日的場面對張茂樹來說相當的緊張，立場也相當敏感，因爲張茂樹身爲福建同鄉的領導人，若在主持福建及廣東兩幫之間的糾紛稍有偏差，便會造成僑胞曆史上留下一道疤痕。所幸當時張茂樹能以冷靜的處事態度，憑著身上一股正氣、公正不阿地化解了一場災難。當年他這以德服衆的手法，及時制止了廣、福兩幫的糾紛，不但深得華社的贊賞，同時也讓警方拍案叫絕。
由于當時居林沒有華人商會的組織，廣福宮便是華人十二聯商會之組織，而他也當上了廣福宮理事會主席。此外，他也是吉南福建公會主要創辦人之一，連任該會多屆主席之職，並于1934年擔任福建公會重修總理兼監督。
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