Malay Heritage Village a Labour of Love

KUALA TERENGGANU (Bernama) -- Flanked by the South China Sea and the Setiu wetlands, the Terrapuri resort at Kampung Mangkuk in Setiu is not only aesthetically pleasing but evokes the feel of a "lost Malay kingdom".

Spread over a 4.05-hectare plot, Terrapuri boasts 29 authentic antique wooden houses that reflect classic Terengganu Malay architecture and said to have been built some 100 to 250 years ago. 

Twenty of the houses have been restored as guest villas while the remaining nine serve as the reception, spa, meeting room, library and other facilities at Terrapuri, which was opened in 2012.

The reception area is located in a restored ancient wooden palace, where resort staff strike the 'ketuk' or metal gong to welcome their guests and offer them a glass of aromatic iced tea infused with lemongrass, ginger, pandan and other herbs to quench their thirst.

Add to that the pleasant fragrance exuding from a decorative bowl filled with paddy, saffron rice, pieces of turmeric and slivered pandan and the resulting ambience easily transports one back to the golden era of the Malays in the 17th century.

With its layout and setting heavily inspired by the 17th century Terengganu palaces and their surroundings, Terrapuri – which means 'Land of Palaces' in Sanskrit – is a labour of love for its owner Alex Lee Yun Ping.

PENCHANT FOR MALAY ARCHITECTURE

Lee, 50, a tourism industry entrepreneur, is passionate about the conservation of traditional Malay houses, a passion he had cultivated since he was a little boy growing up in Marang, Terengganu.

His family, who is of Peranakan Chinese descent, lived in a house that was built in the typical Terengganu Malay style of architecture. 

"It has been my dream since young to own a collection of various types of Malay houses, especially those that had served as palaces and the homes of aristocrats hundreds of years ago," he told Bernama, adding that the Terrapuri project was conceived in his mind when he was 20 years old.

"My passion for Malay architectural heritage was so deep that over the past 30 years, I willingly devoted my time and efforts towards upholding the legacy and conserving the ancient palaces and houses left behind by Terengganu's royalty and aristocrats."

It had not been an easy journey for Lee. During the 1990s, he travelled around Terengganu with the intention of searching for and purchasing antiquated and run-down houses that were abandoned by their original owners' heirs who had opted for more modern residences.

"Most of the old houses that I bought were not only extensively damaged but also had rotting wood," Lee said, adding that he hired Malay carpenters to dismantle the wooden houses that he had bought.

The dismantled wooden panels and fittings were stored in a house in Marang.

"If anyone were to take a look at the pile of wood I had collected, they wouldn't have believed that they were the remains of the royal palaces of a bygone era," added Lee, who is the deputy chairman of the Terengganu Tourism Association. 

DEVELOPMENT OF TERRAPURI

Lee's dream of opening a classic Terengganu Malay house-themed resort began to take shape in 2005 when he bought the 4.05ha tract in Kampung Mangkuk, near the scenic Penarik beach. (Kampung Mangkuk is located about 21 kilometres from Bandar Permaisuri, the main town in the Setiu district.) 

The process of reassembling the old houses was not easy, either. Lee had to use the expertise of more than 50 highly-skilled Malay carpenters as the job of replacing the damaged and decayed wooden structures required great precision.

"They needed to have a detailed plan on how to reassemble the old houses because not a single nail was used in their original construction. The houses were built entirely on the mortise and wooden peg concept."

All in, it cost Lee a good RM10 million to develop Terrapuri.

His immense knowledge of the history behind each of the 29 houses that stand proudly in Terrapuri speaks volumes of his love for Malay architectural heritage. 

The father-of-two said Terrapuri symbolised the rich, fine and superior architecture of the Malays in Terengganu.

"It's something that has to be preserved for the benefit of the future generations and having been born and raised in Terengganu, I feel it is my responsibility to contribute to the conservation process," he said.

But it did not come without sacrifices. Lee had to sell his properties, several land lots and his Mercedes car to raise the money for his Terrapuri project.

"Some of my family members and close friends thought I was crazy... but their words didn't discourage me because I was so focused on preserving the heritage of the Malay palaces," he said.

He said he did not secure any bank loan or special grant from any agency as conservation, and not profit, was his primary motive in developing Terrapuri.

BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE

Lee said traditional Malay architecture filled him with awe as each structure of the building was governed by its own principles and philosophy and not merely influenced by the lighting, ventilation and aesthetic factors.

It hardly came as a surprise to him when, during the process of resurrecting Terrapuri's heritage houses, more than 5,000 people, mostly researchers, academics, students and arts and heritage buffs, visited the site.

"In fact, many of them are interested in documenting these Malay architectural treasures," he said, adding that since the opening of the Terrapuri resort, delegations from universities from all over the world have visited the property to do some research on the state's priceless heritage.

Terrapuri's air of antiquity and its surrounding natural beauty has also prompted film and television crews to use it as a location for their shoots.

The 2011 Malay movie 'Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa', directed by Yusry Abdul Halim, was partly shot there and so were certain episodes of television series 'Amazing Race' and 'UK Master Chef' and a Tourism Malaysia advertisement.

Terrapuri is also much sought-after for bridal photography.

Lee has now set his sights on another conservation project and this time he wants to exhibit a collection of traditional Malay houses from all over Malaysia.

To be called Terramalai, this project will be based in Batu Rakit in the district of Kuala Nerus, Terengganu.

"I'm still in the process of searching for old traditional houses that are steeped in history in each state. This conservation project will showcase the pride of our nation's heritage," he added. 

Translated by Rema Nambiar

-- BERNAMA