Chinese New Villages (Kampung Baru) are centralized settlements set up by the British colonial government during the 12 years of national emergency. In order to effectively stop peasants from providing food, medicine, and news to the Malayan communists, Brigg’s Plan was carried out in 1950 to forcibly centralize dispersed inhabitants from living in the forest and the borders of tin mines into a settlement under a strict supervision where each movement of the villagers were closely monitored by the army and police. Moreover, food supplies were distributed in rations. These concentration points eventually became new villages in which mainly Chinese dwell. Kampung Baru Sungai Chua is one of the 480 new villages established under this scheme.
Kampung Baru Sungai Chua is located within 2 kilometres from Kajang town, rich tin mines were discovered prior to the village establishment, causing large crowds of Chinese miners to flock in around 1870 for mining activities, thus shaping the earliest community in the vicinity. Apart from mining, rubber plantation is also an important economic commodity of Sungai Chua, its output surpassing tin due to rapid development in the early 20th century.
From the early stage of prosperous tin mines, to succeeding in planting the first rubber plantation in Malaya, meanwhile encountering the perfect timing of skyrocketing rubber demand in the global market. Transforming from tin mining to rubber estates, such acceptance and continuation of economy facilitate the crucial factor in the steady development of Sungai Chua and Kajang city. Now that the construction of Kajang Silk highway splits Kampung Baru Sungai Chua into two halves, in addition to the MRT terminal being built in Kajang, there is hope for new spirits to be injected into this century-old town.
Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen
有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Old Souls from Felt Music
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