Pepper Estate: The Untold Story

By Eugene Quah

September 2022 FEATURE
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The public stone bridge over Sungai Balik Batu leading to Pepper Estate was built in 1915 by Mrs. Lim Leng Cheak (nee Tan Say Seang). She was “an ardent Buddhist” and a major donor to the construction of the Kek Lok Si temple and other philanthropic causes.[i] The Pepper Estate village’s built-up area, at 7.7ha, is almost the size of 11 football fields. Photo by: Eddy de Vosse. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUUdQcmJnUE-Ro92UMUwawA
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RESIDENTS OF Tanjung Bungah sometimes use, as a shortcut, the well-shaded and narrow winding hill road that snakes around the Guillemard Service Reservoir. This road starts at a fork that is slightly after the Fettes Park junction. Straight ahead is the reservoir road, called Chooi Tee Lor in Hokkien, while to the right is a stone bridge with a sign beside it that says Ladang Lada (“Pepper Estate”). As you go up the reservoir road, you can see through the...

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Eugene Quah

is an independent researcher and writer who is working on a book tentatively called “Illustrated Guide to the North Coast of Penang”. He rediscovered the joys of writing after moving back to Penang from abroad.


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