Taiping Airport
Encyclopedia
Taiping Airport is an airport in Taiping
, Malaysia. It is located at Jalan Muzaffar Shah formerly Creagh Road, Assam Kumbang and also called as Tekah Airport. The airport was built in early 1929, this wooden structure aerodrome
was the first airfield in the state of Perak
and also in Peninsular Malaysia
. The airstrip can accommodate the Fokker
planes only, because the landing strip is too short for modern aircraft to land and take off.
Taiping Airport is the oldest airport built in Malaysia. It was built by the British in 1929 for non-military purpose. Along with Alor Star Airport
, both were the earliest airports in Malaya
that built in the same year. However, in 1933 more airports were built and mushrooming in Singapore
, Selangor
and Penang
, and the Taiping Airport no longer hold the importance.
In February 2007, the airport was chosen to be the centre hub for the Global Flying Hospitals
, GFH. However, in July 2007, the decision of choosing Taiping Airport as the flying hub was not suitable, and the Chairman of GFH, Neill Newton, announced a new location will be selected, but not in Malaysia.
The Taiping Airport which located in Assam Kumbang also called as Tekah Airport. The airport was built in 1929 and claimed as the first airport officially established in Federated Malay States
and also in South East Asia. The airport was not much important compare to other airports that mushrooming after the establishment of the first at Taiping
. Besides, serving as a commercial airport for the use of the British officers and European merchants. The airport also served as the airstrip for the Royal Malayans Air Force (RMF). The airport served short distance destinations such as to Alor Star
, Kuala Lumpur
and Penang
. The Penang to Singapore
flight routes runs a daily stop by at the Taiping Airport. The first Malaya airway company, the Wearne Air Service Company made a daily flight to Taiping, to deliver newspapers to the town. After the end of the Japanese Occupation the destination to other Malay states were canceled, the airport only served flight to other airports within Perak state, and only the Ipoh Airport was authorized to serve flights to other states. The airport also achieved fame through the famous American aviator, Amelia Mary Earhart in 1937, when she was doing her world flight and stopover at the Taiping Airport for refueling petrol. Amelia Earhart was doing her flight route from Thailand
to Singapore
, her permission to land at Taiping Airport was allowed on 7 June 1937 by the then Resident-General of Malaya. The airport also marked a significant in the history of Malaysia, when Sukarno
and Mohammad Hatta
later became the President and Vice-President of Indonesia
landed at the airport on 12 August 1945 for a meeting with Dr. Burhanuddin al-Helmi and Ibrahim Yaakub who were leaders of a political party named KRIS to talk about the possibility of joining Malaya with Indonesia, when Indonesia achieved independence. The meeting was arranged by the Japanese officers during the World War II
. However, the plan was never succeed and Indonesia announced its independence without Malaya. In February 2007, the Chief State Minister of Perak, Datuk Seri Mohammad Tajol Rosli bin. Ghazali announced that the airport had been chosen as the hub for Global Flying Hospitals (GHF), which is an international organization that brings humanitarian medical support to developing nations. Unfortunately, the plan was not carried out, because the runway at the airport was too short (about 200 feet long) to accommodate the GFH’s planes, as the GFH using the A320 Airbus, the GFH now stationed at the Subang Airport.
Taiping, Perak
Taiping is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. With a population of 191,104 , it is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping took over Kuala Kangsar's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh...
, Malaysia. It is located at Jalan Muzaffar Shah formerly Creagh Road, Assam Kumbang and also called as Tekah Airport. The airport was built in early 1929, this wooden structure aerodrome
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
was the first airfield in the state of Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
and also in Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
. The airstrip can accommodate the Fokker
Fokker
Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer named after its founder, Anthony Fokker. The company operated under several different names, starting out in 1912 in Schwerin, Germany, moving to the Netherlands in 1919....
planes only, because the landing strip is too short for modern aircraft to land and take off.
Taiping Airport is the oldest airport built in Malaysia. It was built by the British in 1929 for non-military purpose. Along with Alor Star Airport
Sultan Abdul Halim Airport
Sultan Abdul Halim Airport is an airport that serves Alor Setar, a city in the state of Kedah in Malaysia.The airport, located in Kepala Batas, 13 km away from town, can handle up to 800,000 ppa. The new terminal is already operational by 5 May 2006 to cater for future traffic growth...
, both were the earliest airports in Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
that built in the same year. However, in 1933 more airports were built and mushrooming in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
and Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, and the Taiping Airport no longer hold the importance.
In February 2007, the airport was chosen to be the centre hub for the Global Flying Hospitals
Global Flying Hospitals
Global Flying Hospitals is the humanitarian medical charity that is the Logistics Resource to the world's humanitarian medical charities. It was founded in 2001 by Neill Newton, to provide medical care in the Developing World...
, GFH. However, in July 2007, the decision of choosing Taiping Airport as the flying hub was not suitable, and the Chairman of GFH, Neill Newton, announced a new location will be selected, but not in Malaysia.
History
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
and also in South East Asia. The airport was not much important compare to other airports that mushrooming after the establishment of the first at Taiping
Taiping, Perak
Taiping is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. With a population of 191,104 , it is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping took over Kuala Kangsar's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh...
. Besides, serving as a commercial airport for the use of the British officers and European merchants. The airport also served as the airstrip for the Royal Malayans Air Force (RMF). The airport served short distance destinations such as to Alor Star
Alor Star
Alor Setar, known as Alor Star between 2004 and 2008, is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia, and Kota Setar District's Administrative Centre. It is also a distribution center for manufacturing and agricultural products such as paddy, and the royal seat of the Kedah state since the establishment...
, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
and Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
. The Penang to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
flight routes runs a daily stop by at the Taiping Airport. The first Malaya airway company, the Wearne Air Service Company made a daily flight to Taiping, to deliver newspapers to the town. After the end of the Japanese Occupation the destination to other Malay states were canceled, the airport only served flight to other airports within Perak state, and only the Ipoh Airport was authorized to serve flights to other states. The airport also achieved fame through the famous American aviator, Amelia Mary Earhart in 1937, when she was doing her world flight and stopover at the Taiping Airport for refueling petrol. Amelia Earhart was doing her flight route from Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, her permission to land at Taiping Airport was allowed on 7 June 1937 by the then Resident-General of Malaya. The airport also marked a significant in the history of Malaysia, when Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
and Mohammad Hatta
Mohammad Hatta
was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Dutch East Indies . He was Indonesia's first vice president, later also serving as the country's Prime Minister. Known as "The Proclamator", he and a number of Indonesians, including the first president of Indonesia, Sukarno, fought for the independence of...
later became the President and Vice-President of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
landed at the airport on 12 August 1945 for a meeting with Dr. Burhanuddin al-Helmi and Ibrahim Yaakub who were leaders of a political party named KRIS to talk about the possibility of joining Malaya with Indonesia, when Indonesia achieved independence. The meeting was arranged by the Japanese officers during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. However, the plan was never succeed and Indonesia announced its independence without Malaya. In February 2007, the Chief State Minister of Perak, Datuk Seri Mohammad Tajol Rosli bin. Ghazali announced that the airport had been chosen as the hub for Global Flying Hospitals (GHF), which is an international organization that brings humanitarian medical support to developing nations. Unfortunately, the plan was not carried out, because the runway at the airport was too short (about 200 feet long) to accommodate the GFH’s planes, as the GFH using the A320 Airbus, the GFH now stationed at the Subang Airport.
External links
- Eugene Khoo, 2007 A History of Taiping, Malaysia
- Prof. Khoo Kay KimKhoo Kay KimTan Sri Khoo Kay Kim is a Malaysian Chinese historian and academic. He is currently an emeritus professor in the History Department of the University of Malaya.-Biography:...
, 2003, The Development of Taiping From 1876 Until World War II: Taiping The Vibrant Years, ISBN 983-2759-01-3 - News about development of Taiping Airport