Gurudwara Sahib Tambun, Ipoh, Perak

In the early years of the 20th Century, the Sikhs residing around the Kopisan, Tambun areas, in the Mukim of Ulu Kinta, mostly worked in the nearby tin mines or were dairy farmers. Around 1915, these Sikhs built a Gurdwara Sahib building at the 5' Mile Kopisan, Tambun area on former tin mining land. This Gurdwara Sahib was gazetted as a Sikh Temple Reserve on 24th January 1919 vide State of Perak Government Gazette Number 649 / 19. During the Japanese occupation of Malaya (1942 - 1945), the Sikhs abandoned the Gurdwara Sahib building and left for safer areas due to security reasons. In 1950, during the resettlement of people to new Villages due to the communist insurgency, most of the remaining Sikhs settled in Bercham. Subsequently, a Chinese farmer illegally occupied the Gurdwara Sahib land, which was nearly one acre in size. In 1982, after great difficulty, the Sikhs managed to evict the farmer after paying him a compensation of RM16,000.00. Around 1983, the Sikhs built a single storey semi brick and wooden structure with a zinc roof to serve as their Gurdwara Sahib. By 2002, this Gurdwara Sahib building was in a state of disrepair. The Management Committee made an urgent appeal to the Sangat to raise funds. The Gurdwara Sahib is being completely rebuilt and is expected to be completed in early 2004. There are presently about 20 Sikh families who participate in the religious activities held in this Gurdwara Sahib. The religious prayers are held once a month on the Sangrand day from 6.00p.m. to 8.00p.m. Other religious programmes are held as and when necessary at the request of the sangat. Courtesy: Sikh Gurudwaras in Malaysia&Singapore Saran Singh Sidhu AMN,PNM,FRNS