KEPALA BATAS, Aug 17 (NNN-Bernama) — Perhaps many are unaware that the Jambatan Merdeka here is a very historic bridge. For Penang and Kedah folks, the bridge is a common route to connect two districts, Kepala Batas and Sungai Petani.
Not only as a link between the two areas, the bridge named after the country’s independence also holds its own history not only for the local community but also for the country.
A resident of Kampung Bapor Lima here, Wong Ah Kiat, 90, said the bridge was built by the British before the Japanese military invasion during World War II in 1941.
He said it was the British soldiers who blew up the original bridge with a bomb in 1941 to stop the advance of the Japanese army which was invading Malaya from the north.
“The original bridge built by the British was destroyed by the British soldiers themselves using a powerful bomb to prevent the Japanese from entering Penang. The sound of the explosion was so loud you could hear it a mile away.
“At that time, I remember the villagers who lived near the river mouth were ordered to move seven kilometres away from the bridge for their safety before it was demolished,” he told Bernama when met at his coffee shop here today.
Still, the Japanese military attacks did not dampen the spirit of the villagers who built their own wooden bridge to cross the river now known as Sungai Muda.
Wong, who previously worked as a construction site assistant, said during the Japanese occupation, only the wooden bridge was used by the locals to cross the river.
He said after the British government took over, they rebuilt the bridge using stronger materials like steel and concrete.
“I was personally involved in the reconstruction of the bridge which was officiated by the first Prime Minister the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Alhaj the same year the country celebrated Independence Day in 1957,” he said.
Resident Samsudin Ibrahim, 79, who was born and settled in Kampung Jambatan Merdeka, said the impact of the original bridge collapse left a mark at its base and can still be seen to this day.
He said the bridge was called the Jambatan Merdeka at that time to commemorate the history and sacrifice of the local people who helped rebuild it.
“The bridge is the main route for residents connecting the two states (Penang and Kedah) and now the bridge is also a pride to me,” he said.
He said in order to accommodate the growing number of users, the government built another bridge next to the old one with an identical design in 2008.
The bridge separating Penang and Kedah now has two lanes to accommodate the high volume of traffic.
Meanwhile, Zuraini Osman, 41, who runs a Mee Udang restaurant, said her customers often come at dusk to see the sunset over the Jambatan Merdeka.
She and her husband, Ridzuan Mat Zin, 49, had come up with the idea to name the restaurant TT Merdeka Floating Restaurant, inspired by the historic structure.
“Our floating restaurant is the ideal place to enjoy the tranquility of Sungai Muda as well as the Jambatan Merdeka itself. Every weekend local and foreign tourists would arrive in droves to appreciate the tranquility of the surrounding countryside which is both natural and historic,” she said.
She hoped the local authorities would continue to preserve and develop these historic areas so that they would not be lost in the mists of time.
The TT Merdeka floating restaurant located 100 metres from the Jambatan Merdeka operates from 1 pm to midnight daily except Wednesday.
NNN–BERNAMA
