00:00This is what's left of a nearly 100-year-old underground tunnel in Batu Arang, once Selangor's
00:28second-largest town. This is where thousands of miners searched for what was then called
00:33the black diamond, coal.
00:47Batu Arang is a quiet town in Gumba, but once upon a time it was a bustling coal mining
00:54hub. From 1915 to 1960, its 12,000-strong population and its coal mining legacy fueled
01:08the early rise of Kuala Lumpur's development. To uncover more about its past, FMT Lifestyle
01:16visited Galeri Batu Arang, once the dormitories for workers in the town's coal mines.
01:23Born and raised in Batu Arang, 63-year-old Orang Zeb Yusof, fondly known as Pat Jabar,
01:30guided us through the gallery narrating the town's rich history. He shared that geological
01:37formations in Batu Arang date back to around 33.7 million years, making its coal a prized
01:44resource. Soon after its discovery in the early 1900s, John Archibald Russell founded
01:51the Malayan Collieries Limited, marking the start of the town's mining boom.
01:57Today, unique remnants of coal mining still dot Batu Arang, such as underground tunnels
02:05and air shafts that plunge 300 meters deep. The job was fraught with danger, costing many
02:12workers their lives as they sought to unearth the dark mineral. Batu Arang also features
02:22former mine ponds that were once part of the largest coal stockpile in Peninsular Malaysia.
02:35The 1930s to 1940s was a golden era for Batu Arang, highlighted by the presence of a railway
02:41line and even an airstrip. Unfortunately, as coal demand decreased, the town slowly
02:48fell into obscurity. Rusli Muhammad Sharif, who has called this town home since 1974,
02:56shared that its quietness is just what the mainly retired folks here desire.
03:11We have been led by Kota Puteri, Tasik Puteri. We want to keep this place like this.
03:19After 8 or 9 o'clock in the morning, it's already quiet.
03:25We want our town to be known, even though it's small. That's our hope.
03:33Declared a heritage town by the Selangor State Government in 2011, and recognised as part
03:39of the Gombak Holulangat Geopark, the locals are eager to showcase their town's heritage
03:45to the world.
04:01With potential UNESCO Global Geopark status by 2028, Batu Arang might soon experience
04:07a revival reminiscent of its bustling days 100 years ago. Divya Ragu, FMT Lifestyle.
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