TERENGGANU is losing heritage villages due to ever-increasing development, exemplified by the state capital’s drawbridge, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

Kuala Terengganu folk told The Malaysian Insight that while they welcome development, they regret that such progress comes at the cost of the state’s heritage.

The constituency’s former MP, Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah, said this will result in Terengganu losing its identity.

“There are now only several heritage villages left in Terengganu. Kg Tanjung, for example, has lost nearly 40% of its total area to development.

“What is destroyed are not just buildings, but history,” he said, citing as an example the Kolam Sultan Sulaiman Badrul Shah Palace, which was torn down in the late 1980s and replaced with a flat.

The disappearing heritage villages in Kuala Terengganu have also affected the crafts industry, such as copper and batik.

In Kg Ladang, a batik-maker continues his work, albeit in a cramped flat unit.

“I used to have a house on the beachfront with a lot of space. That was where I made batik,” said Zakaria Ismail, who has been in the trade for five decades.

“The village was lively, all of us made traditional crafts. There were copper-, keris- and batik-makers,” he said at his flat unit.

Zakaria said in 2014, 66 villagers were ordered to move out by the then Barisan Nasional state government.

They were compensated with money and relocation to the Gemilang 1 and 2 apartments.

“The villagers opposed and they called lawyers, but nothing came of it.”

The 62-year-old now continues his work in an area of about 65 sq m.

“I was given a choice before we moved – to have a workshop or a home. If I chose a workshop, I would lose a home. So, I took a home and turned it into a workshop,” said Zakaria, who lives with his son and granddaughter.

He said it is regrettable that the previous BN state administration did not keep its word to retain the village.

“It is true that the land is partly owned by the state government. Before the elections, they promised to beautify the village, turn it into a tourist spot.

“After the elections, everything was destroyed… promises were not kept.”

After the village was torn down, not many of its residents continued to make crafts.

“All the crafts were gone, just like that,” said Zakaria.

Nearby villages also experienced the same fate – Kg Tanjung, Kg Banggol and Kg Lorong Jamil.

Those who were made to move out received monetary compensation, as well as a flat unit to rent.

Mohd Noor Harun, from Kg Tanjung, rejected the offer.

“I did not accept the offer because every month, I would have to pay to live in my home. Also, we craftsmen need a lot of space (to work),” said the 55-year-old, who has been a ring-maker for three decades.

He not only lost his home and workshop, but also his business, as turnover now is not as good as it was in Kg Tanjung.

“Previously, it was along the main route out of the city, and people could see our stores (from the road).

“Kg Tanjung was more than 100 years old. There were stories of people finding cannons in the village.”

Most of the houses demolished in the villages, especially Kg Ladang and Kg Tanjung, had unique Malay carvings.

“They were hand-carved. The wood used to make the houses was not just any wood, but cengal wood, which termites do not eat,” said Zakaria.

Mohd Raziff Ismail, 36, believes that the crafts industry faces a bleak future.

“We hear that Kg Tanjung Paya is targeted for development as the surrounding areas have already been developed,” said the ring-maker.

Raja Kamarul, who is also Terengganu Pakatan Harapan chairman, urged the state’s PAS administration to emulate heritage-preservation efforts elsewhere.

“The wooden houses in Terengganu can be dismantled and moved to other places.”

He said land previously taken by the state government was supposedly developed into commercial units, but is now a “dead” area with no traders.

“There is no one to rent the shops since they were developed two, three years ago… the state government was ‘syiok sendiri’ and committed to something without properly studying the matter.

“The Terengganu government is using other people’s ideas that have nothing to do with our customs or culture.” – June 4, 2019.