Kamunting
Encyclopedia
Kamunting is the biggest satellite town
in Taiping
's Larut, Matang dan Selama
district, Perak
, Malaysia. It is also the biggest industrial town in Taiping and is famous mainly for being home to the Kamunting Detention Center
a prison camp for detainees under the Internal Security Act
, many of whom are held without trial for an indefinite period. The prison has been nicknamed "Malaysia's Gitmo" (referring to the Guantanamo Bay or Gitmo prison for similar detainees in Cuba
run by the United States
), and holds about a hundred detainees as of 2006.
During the Malayan Emergency
between 1948 and 1960, Kamunting was the site of a major British/Commonwealth military base, there being a large garrison for the 28th Commonwealth Independent Infantry Brigade and also one of the three British Military Hospitals (BMHs) in Malaya. Between Taipling and Kamunting is one of the main Military Cemeteries in Malaya. Over the many years of the conflict against the Communist terrorists, thousands of British, Australian, New Zealand, Fijian and Gurkha troops lived - and died - in and around Kamunting and Taiping.
Kamunting houses the main bus station(Kamunting Raya) for Taiping town. Soon the Taiping Train station will relocate there too. It has a weekly night market every Saturday night near the bus station that sells all sorts of local fresh produce and food stuffs. There are also fruit sellers along the road leading to the Kamunting bus stops which sell seasonal fruits like durian and mangosteens. It also connects Taiping
to the North-South Expressway via the northern exit.
Major tourist spot is Bukit Jana, which has a waterfall and streams off the range of Bukit Larut
. The Bukit Jana Golf & Country Club is also situated nearby. Plans for Taiping sports centre, which includes a 15000 seater stadium, indoor venues and extreme sports site, are still under consideration.
Satellite town
A satellite town or satellite city is a concept in urban planning that refers essentially to smaller metropolitan areas which are located somewhat near to, but are mostly independent of, larger metropolitan areas.-Characteristics:...
in 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...
's Larut, Matang dan Selama
Larut, Matang dan Selama
Larut, Matang dan Selama is a district of the northern state of Perak in Malaysia. Taiping is the capital town of this district. Larut, Matang dan Selama used to be three small different districts and they merged into one united district later....
district, 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...
, Malaysia. It is also the biggest industrial town in Taiping and is famous mainly for being home to the Kamunting Detention Center
Kamunting Detention Center
Kamunting Detention Centre is a prison camp located in Kamunting, near the town of Taiping, Perak, in Malaysia. The prison is used by the government to detain and interrogate persons arrested under the Internal Security Act . The detention is also known as Malaysia's Supermax prison or Maximum...
a prison camp for detainees under the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
, many of whom are held without trial for an indefinite period. The prison has been nicknamed "Malaysia's Gitmo" (referring to the Guantanamo Bay or Gitmo prison for similar detainees in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
run by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), and holds about a hundred detainees as of 2006.
During the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
between 1948 and 1960, Kamunting was the site of a major British/Commonwealth military base, there being a large garrison for the 28th Commonwealth Independent Infantry Brigade and also one of the three British Military Hospitals (BMHs) in Malaya. Between Taipling and Kamunting is one of the main Military Cemeteries in Malaya. Over the many years of the conflict against the Communist terrorists, thousands of British, Australian, New Zealand, Fijian and Gurkha troops lived - and died - in and around Kamunting and Taiping.
Kamunting houses the main bus station(Kamunting Raya) for Taiping town. Soon the Taiping Train station will relocate there too. It has a weekly night market every Saturday night near the bus station that sells all sorts of local fresh produce and food stuffs. There are also fruit sellers along the road leading to the Kamunting bus stops which sell seasonal fruits like durian and mangosteens. It also connects 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...
to the North-South Expressway via the northern exit.
Major tourist spot is Bukit Jana, which has a waterfall and streams off the range of Bukit Larut
Bukit Larut
Bukit Larut, formerly known as Maxwell Hill , is a hill resort located 10 km from Taiping, Perak, Malaysia. Founded in 1884, it is the oldest hill resort in Malaysia. It is approximately 1250 m above sea level...
. The Bukit Jana Golf & Country Club is also situated nearby. Plans for Taiping sports centre, which includes a 15000 seater stadium, indoor venues and extreme sports site, are still under consideration.