Tanjung Kupang has emerged thriving from 1977 tragedy

By Nadia Khairani

ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 9  -- "The village shook." That is how 83-year-old Muhammad Md Zain, who was among dozens of residents who witnessed the tragedy of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH653 which was hijacked and crashed in Kampung Ladang, Tanjung Kupang, Johor over four decades ago described the incident.

He said the Dec 4, 1977 tragedy, which claimed the lives of all on board, 93 passengers and seven crew members, had a huge effect on him.

More affectionately known as Pak Atan, he was a Public Works Department (PWD) staff, assigned to help collect body parts and wreckage of the plane, including that of the then PWD Director-General, Datuk Mahfuz Khalid, who was also on board the ill-fated plane.

"There was no stench (of human corpses) on the first day and the second but terrible on the third. The water that stagnated in the wreckage of the plane was black,” he said.

He said that he and hundreds of paid volunteers worked every day to collect body parts, plane items and documents at the site of the crash for three months, following the instructions of the authorities to clean up the scene of the tragedy.

"It was heartbreaking to see the victims next of kin crying and moaning at the scene while identifying their familíes' belongings. What I remember most was when Datin Halimah Abdul Rahim, the wife of the then Agriculture Minister, Datuk Ali Ahmad could recognise one of her husband's shoes from among the pile of items found," said Pak Atan.

Asked about his feelings about being involved in the operation in the aftermath of the unforgettable tragedy, in a tearful tone he replied:" It was mixed, sadness and also a sense of pride to be part of the recovery team. The event was extraordinary, and we never expected it to happen in our village. It is still fresh in my memory."

The resident of Kampung Ladang was interviewed by Bernama while covering a campaign walkabout by candidates contesting in the Kota Iskandar  constituency ahead of the Johor state election this Saturday (March 12).

For the residents of Kampung Ladang, an outcome of the tragedy was that various parties began to pay attention to the development of villages in the Mukim of Tanjung Kupang, which comes under the Johor Bahru district. 

Kampung Ladang headman, Abdul Jalil Abd Majid said many megaprojects and investments from the government and the private sector have been implemented in the constituency, thus improving the living standards of the residents.

"Around 1977, Kampung Ladang was not as developed as it is now. The roads were still untarred, electricity and water supply were still not available. Because of the tragedy, many ministers and dignitaries came to this village. We started getting electricity, water and various facilities. If it hadn’t been for the tragedy, these developments might not have taken place," he said.

He said since it made the news, many public and private investment companies explored the area which led to noted developments like Forest City, Tanjung Pelepas Port (PTP) and most recently Sunway Iskandar and that  the surrounding area is now almost semi-urban.

"People will remember that in Tanjung Kupang there used to be a plane crash! It put Tanjung Kupang on the world map," said Abdul Jalil.

On the development of Kampung Ladang at present, he said plans to develop the fishing village as a potential ecotourism centre, must be continued.

For that purpose, he said the residents of Kampung Ladang wanted the issue of issuing licences to traditional fishermen there to be eased.

Due to long-running bureaucracy, he said, resulted in difficulties for the group to get government assistance or to hold ecotourism activities in the area.

"Licences for these fishermen are important. That way, these people will get cost of living aid, oil subsidies and compensation from the government. This is what we are fighting for. If they are not given the licences, they will still go to sea. They are traditional fishermen and they can’t earn a livelihood any other way," he said.

Kampung Ladang Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) chairman Abdullah Saidi Rahmat shared Abdul Jalil's sentiments, explaining that fishermen's licences are not for fishing only but for ecotourism activities as well.

"Ecotourism is not just about fishing, it has many offshoots such as taking tourists fishing, boat trips to the sea and unique attractions in the waters of Kampung Ladang and surrounding villages, such as Tanjung Pelepas Port, Forest City, Puteri Harbour.

“If we have a licence, we can carry out activities. We have a product, a brand. the Johor Tourism Centre can include the location of our village as a tourist attraction. That is why we urge the authorities to improve facilities in this area, especially in the jetty area in Kampung Ladang Hujung. It has vast potential," said Abdullah Saidi.

He said these efforts have been ongoing but stalled after the change of government following the 14th General Election (GE) in May 2018.

Abdul Jalil added that his team planned to set up the Kampung Ladang Residents Cooperative to drive fishing and ecotourism activities in the village, besides providing knowledge and training, among others, in the aspect of entrepreneurship to the youths.

There are five candidates contesting in the Kota Iskandar constituency, namely Pandak Ahmad (Barisan Nasional); Samsudin Ismail (Perikatan Nasional); Dr Zaini Abu Bakar (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air), Dzulkefly Ahmad (Pakatan Harapan) and R. Arangkannal, (Parti Sosialis Malaysia).

-- BERNAMA