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| Bukit Kepong |
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| On our RORO |
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| Waiting for our boatman, we decided to recce the town which just consists of 2 row of shophouses |
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| We found a barbershop by the riverbanks, just off Medan Selera Kundang Ulu |
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| Our beautiful boatman |
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| Off they went! |
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| Here we come! |
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Arrivees
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| Welcoming committee |
The first thoughts that come to mind on Bukit Kepong for
most Malaysians born after Merdeka is most probably the film produced and
directed by Jins Shamsuddin. The movie made in 1981, starring Jins himself,
went on to win 8 awards in the Third Malaysian Film Festival. It depicted the
real life chronology of the communist insurgency and their attack on Bukit
Kepong in 1950.
The siege on the police station, located by the banks of the
Muar River was initially assumed to be an easy one as there were 180 communist
guerillas against 25 police officers. Moreover, the insurgents had a higher
vantage point, attacking from the hills. The assault ended with the burning of
the police station and the guerrillas retreating into the jungle.
The Bukit Kepong incident became a symbol of martyrdom where
men fought in honour for their country. It went on to strengthen the Government
and people’s resolves to stem out communist insurgency in the country.
Our ride though was never about the history of Bukit Kepong.
Instead, it was triggered by the photo of a hill challenge; scaling up a
"W.A.L.L" !!! Initially shared by Acid Mustafa on behalf of Pokok
Cherry Club, the organising committee later changed the open invite to a member
only ride as the Novgorod cluster began to manifest in Melaka. Not one to take
NO for an answer, Claudine went into action a few weeks later; assisted by Acid
who graciously shared the route with her.
The route loop took us through palm oil estates, rubber
plantations and a deer farm. We bypassed Lenga Town and rode directly into
Bukit Kepong, a small town located by
the riverside.
Galeri Darurat Bukit Kepong, a museum managed by PDRM and
set up by the riverbanks, displays artefacts from the emergency era. The museum
is thoughtfully designed to include ramps and escalator for the physically
challenged. Entrance to the museum is free. A memorial, located diagonally
across the road is built in remembrance of the people who perished in the incident.
Looking for a bite in town, we found Kedai Makan KakMis Ndot
Ndot which offers delicious assam pedas. They have various choices of fish but
is famous for their ikan baung which is a type of catfish caught from the
rivers. The flesh is super soft and fine plus it does not carry any muddy taste
which is common amongst river fish.
The “W.A.L.L.” , located on J 33’s Jalan Bukit Serampang is
just visually dominating from afar. In actual fact, it is just a master play of
perspectives.
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| Do not refer to this schedule... |
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| ...this schedule is written by the boatman, so it is more accurate! |
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| Medan Selera Kundang Ulu |
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| The jeti |
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| Our boat don't need the jetty |
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| This is the boat fare for 2017. In general, boat fare for is RM1.50 but you may enjoy discounts if the boatman likes you |
The R.O.R.O boat crossing, located at Kundang Ulu is
serviced by Medan Selera Kundang Ulu. A comfortable food court, it is the
perfect place to wait for the missing boatman who has a tendency to return home
whenever his services are not required . Otherwise, one can refer to the
cardboard signage by the jetty which lists down his contact details and break
times.
Liang Batu’s river promenade is another scenic spot along
the loop. Serviced by a drink and snack bar, it is a good place to quench one’s
thirst.
The Bukit Kepong loop is highly recommended for cyclo tours
as it lies along scenic spots. Best to visit fast before the R.O.R.O boat
becomes extinct, its significance replaced by modern bridges. Finally, Galeri
Darurat Bukit Kepong makes the ribbon which wraps up a perfect route!
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Galeri Darurat Bukit Kepong
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