The dam broke in Ampang Pecah

	By Badrolhisham Bidin, June 13, 2010 Residents of Ampang Pecah near Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor now may not have personally experienced the big flood of 1883, but the incident has not been forgotten.
	They are familiar with the story narrated to them, usually during bedtime, by their elders.
	According to the tale, the dam broke that fine day more than a century ago, killing scores of villagers and displacing hundreds more. Why it broke, however, has remained a mystery to this day.
	Yahaya Nayan, 65, who has lived in "ground zero" since the 1960s, relates the tale told to him by the village elders.
	"An Englishman killed a white crocodile at a nearby river and boasted about it. Soon after the incident, the excess water which flowed down to Sungai Selangor was pushed upwards by unseen forces."
	The dam could not hold the sudden surge of water and broke - hence the name Ampang Pecah, or Broken Dam - causing the whole area, once known as Kuala Kubu, to be wiped out.
	"The white crocodile was said to be the guardian of the river and a harmless creature. Some villagers have seen it.
	"But the Mat Salleh (Englishman) could not resist taking a shot at the reptile and killed it with his rifle," said Yahaya, fondly known as Pak Ya among locals.
	According to historical records, the man who shot the crocodile was Cecil Ranking, a district officer.
	His body was found stuck on a tree that day. This clearly showed how Mother Nature went wild that day.
	V. Segaran, 53, heard the same story from his parents when he was young.
	"The white crocodile was said to be the guardian of the river. As it was shot dead, the villagers had to be 'sacrificed'," said Segaran.
	"It was a long time ago. But the legend of the white crocodile lives on," he added.
	He said the survivors of the big flood have since passed on. "No one can really verify the story.
	"The dam then was not very sophisticated. We were told that it was made of wood. It spanned across Sungai Selangor and may not have been able to hold the excess water.
	"Whether the story is true or not, I hope it will not be forgotten. It is a good thing locals still relate the story of the great white crocodile to their children."
	The death of the settlement led to the birth of another town, now known as Kuala Kubu Baru nearby.
	Those who lost their homes were relocated to the area, now a popular stop for those going up Fraser's Hill.
	The site of the big flood, however, is now a hive of activity. Apart from Taman Ampang Pecah, two more housing estates have been built.
	Once a major tin mining area, Ampang Pecah now has terrace houses. Bungalows and even mansions line the roads. Many of the residents are retirees, who prefer to live in relative quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Kuala Lumpur is only an hour's drive away.
	There is also a recreational area for children, a row of foodstalls, and beautiful trees lining the roads.
	Kuala Kubu Baru has a Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) and a Fire Department Academy.
	It is also famous for white water rafting and several natural waterfalls. The area is also well known for another tragedy. In 1951, Sir Henry Gurney was ambushed and killed by communist insurgents while on his way to Fraser's Hill for a meeting.
	Earlier this year, Ampang Pecah and its vicinity saw a sudden surge of visitors when the Hulu Selangor by-election was held following the death of its Member of Parliament Datuk Zainal Ahmad.
	Promises to develop the retiree's haven were made. There is now a huge dam built further up Kuala Kubu Baru but residents are unperturbed.
	Pak Ya joked that if the new dam broke too, he would probably float all the way to Kuala Lumpur.
	"There is no jungle to stop the flow of water. But I have faith in the authorities who built the dam. I am sure it is built to last a lifetime," said the Kedahan who migrated to the area in the 1960s.
	The ex-fireman said Ampang Pecah is now a peaceful housing estate with a mixture of Malays, Chinese and Indians.
	"The old place was inhabited by only the Malays and maybe several Englishmen," he said.
	The younger generation prefers not to dwell on the past.
	One of them, 27-year old Zuleely Kahar, said he heard about the big flood from his parents.
	"But I don't know much about the incident.
	"As far as I am concerned, Ampang Pecah is a peaceful place. It is home," he said.