The mysterious Kulup Lembang of Tambun, the man who changed his name and identity to signify the abandonment of his pursuit of positions and power.
Is it true that the famous Gunung Datok has been commercially exploited (Editor: exploited, not conquered or ‘kongkek’) by the operator of the highly acclaimed Lost World of Tambun theme park?
Is it true that the famous Datoh of Kinta, also known as "Datoh Hilang di Jalan", and his companion, "Puteri Bendang Ayer Hangat", are enjoying their afterlife in the spiritual realm, perhaps even at the Lost World of Tambun theme park?
Kulup Lembang, Panjang Osman, and Harun were some of Tambun’s and Tanjung Rambutan’s well-known mining landlords or entrepreneurs during the heyday of Kinta tin mining. They were the real deal, real-life local Malay mining icons.
But why in the world did Abdul Rahim bin Abu Bakar not mention Kulup Lembang’s mining endeavours in his 1977 thesis?
How could Abdul Rahim bin Abu Bakar mention Panjang Osman’s and Harun’s mining endeavours in his thesis but not Kulup Lembang’s?
As the second great-grandson of a mysterious man who hid behind the alias Kulup Lembang, a few years ago, I was eager to undo the damage caused by a thesis submitted by Abdul Rahim bin Abu Bakar.
It all changed when I began to realize that the issues behind the questionable thesis were no longer about ignorance or blatant factual omissions but, in reality, had become an instrument of conspiracy to hide the truth regarding Kulup Lembang. A conspiracy that involved not only so-called relatives but also some descendants of Kulup Lembang themselves.
I find it quite perplexing that a major event involving the office, which had been put in cold storage for so many years—the office that has been the subject of passionate and emotional discussions by many Perakians of Bugis descent—has come and gone without any fanfare at all. Even our local social media scene is awfully quiet, and no trace of it being mentioned can be found anywhere!
I have always found some, if not all, claims brought forward by folks from Kepayang to be not only rather bizarre but also quite outrageous. Unfortunately, in the last few years, very few people share my views, mainly because the Malays in this part of the world simply do not have the courage to question local mainstream history, no matter how preposterous it could be.
Descendants of the man who hid behind the alias of Kulup Lembang, especially those unfamiliar with Tambun or who don’t feel welcomed there, should study the works of Haji Muhamad Shaharudin bin Mansur (sometimes spelled as Md Shaharudin or Muhammad Shaharudin). Only by studying his past works will you be able to see your mysterious ancestor and Tambun in a different light!
It was a few years ago when I stumbled upon Tun Hanif Omar at what was once known as the Taman Perpaduan Restoran Nasi Vanggey outlet. It was a fine Sunday morning, and Tun Hanif Omar was enjoying breakfast at the restaurant with his family.
It was a long time ago, and I couldn’t really remember what we were talking about, but it led to Tun Hanif Omar revealing that he has many relatives living in and around Tambun.
It is without a doubt that the Sale & Purchase Agreement signed by the 'keluarga diraja, bangsa diraja, lombong diraja' family and Headlines International Sdn Bhd (the Purchaser) a few years ago is a blessing in disguise. If it weren't for the sale of a parcel of vacant freehold land located in Tambun to Headlines International Sdn Bhd, descendants of the man who hid behind the alias known today as Kulup Lembang would never have been inspired to study the fascinating history of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), which holds a special significance in the history of the Purchaser’s Solicitor, Saiful Arshad & Co.
The mysterious man cum mining landlord who hid behind the alias known today as Kulup Lembang was very close to the late Sultan Idris, but very little is known regarding their close connections. This is something Kulup Lembang has in common with the influential Kamparian known as Ngah Jabor, who was also very close to the same Sultan of Perak.