Chaah New Village 三合港新村

Design Approach and Elements in other Planned „on Garden City line‟

Design approach and elements * refer Christine Garnaut (2021) Cha‟ah New Village

1 A bounded site within which residents‟ everyday needs were accommodated A self-contained Village with all facilities (police station, post office, public health center,
PWD quarter, multipurpose community hall, public green field, playground, food court,
market, shops, schools, religion buildings, clans associations, bus station, water, electric
and telephone services) for perform their daily life within the new village

2 Areas set aside for specific uses – residential, commercial, education, religious, Clear zoning (Government administrative – security and health and maintenance,

recreational (local community and individual, and active and passive uses) commercial, residential, schools, religious, village green) is observed within the New

Village.

3 Public open space of a variety of types and scales for a range of local Village green field for soccer/ football, separate zone for basketball/ sepak takraw/

community uses, Internal reserves for shared community use were a distinctive badminton, children playground (now with equipment), darling walk area.

open type in garden suburbs

4 A hierarchical road system. Roads were classified according to use. Typically, a 66‟ road (industrial), 60‟ road (main road and commercial),

wide took the largest volume of traffic while the narrowed enabled access to 30‟ and 40‟ road (residential)

residential areas 20‟ road (service),

5 Variation in street width, line and length: typically, „curved, short arc and Grid iron road layout. Street length (width): 100m (30‟ road), 150m, 200m, 232m (60‟ road),
straight‟. 590m (40‟ road), 800m(60‟ and 66‟ road). Curve only along the river

6 A park-like environment created through preserving existing natural features, Green Belt (between main trunk road with Chaah NV) 80‟ and 60‟ buffer zone
planting street trees, reserving open space, planting in private gardens and in Green Belt (between internal industrial road and industrial zone) 40‟ buffer zone
street garden reserves River as natural buffer zone between Cha‟ah New Village with opposite lots

7 Low density development Compact residential area in 6 units/ acre, or 15.24 units per ha (suburban setting)

8 Generous building setbacks and ample yard space front and back 40‟, 60‟ and 80‟ setback from main access road between Cha‟ah New Village with adjacent
development/ main trunk road
9 „architectural unity but not uniformity‟ achieved primarily through consistency of
style, form, scale, colours and materials Residential: detached (60‟x120‟, 60‟x100‟, 40‟x120‟, 40‟x80‟, 50‟x60‟)
)Shop: A (80‟x12‟-29‟), C (60‟x14.5‟-30‟)

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG) Supported by

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Civic Buildings and Transportation Hub Evolution within the same plot (1951-2021)

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG) Supported by

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Commercial Building Evolution within the same plot (1951-2021)

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG) Supported by

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Schools Evolution within the same plot (1951-2021)

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG) Supported by

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Religion Buildings Evolution within the same plot (1951-2021)

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG) Supported by

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Residential Varieties within Cha‟ah NV (1951-2021) Supported by

1951 to 1959

1960 to 1979

1980 to 1999

2000 to 2021

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG)
NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Shop houses Varieties within Cha‟ah NV (1951-2021) Supported by

1951 to 1959

1960 to 1979

1980 to 1999

2000 to 2021

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG)
NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Kampung Melayu Cha‟ah within Cha‟ah NV

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG) Supported by

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Kampung Jawa Cha‟ah

Kampung Jawa houses with „Anjung‟ and on stilt (flood) Supported by

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG)

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Land G.S.A. - Kampung Jawa 2 Cha‟ah

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG) Supported by

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Notes for Discussion to examine the Outstanding Universal Values of the Cha‟ah New Village:

1. Cha‟ah New Village established in 17 Aug 1951 under resettlement scheme, after decision to relocate the entire village (over 150
families) to a planned township with Police Station (1939) at the time of relocation.

2. The Old Village dated back Kangchu time whereby Qing dynasty towbs and Kangchu of Cha‟ah located at the Kangkar area, within the
plantation land belong to the descendent of Kangchu (Chia family).

3. This New Village with history of Kangchu system (1840s) to Self-help (1950s) within a Planned Township, whereby facilities by
Government, and housing units self-help development over period of 70 years..

4. Unique mixed between colonial planning (most probably Garden City Planning Principles as it was developed in 1930s after Socfin
establsihed in 1927 – the year where Charles C Reade promote Garden City planning concept in Malaya. With green belt, dedicated
green public field, zoning for residential, commercial, administrative, schools, industrial.

5. The New Village with mixture of Malay, Indian and Chinese (6 clans). With the movement of labour between 1900 to 1950 due to war and
development in Agriculture in Johore, lots of different Clans (Chinese) in migration to Cha‟ah for better living. Population from 1951
(about 1,000 relocated from Old village) to 4,800 in 1955, one of the largest New Village in Malaya

6. The development of Cha‟ah New Village post special relationship with Socfin. The site just next to the largest Oil Palm Mill in SEA in
1960s, developed in 1937. Besides, with its railway transportation adaptation as it is an innovation in 1932 by Socfin to reduce cost for
transportation from the plantation/ Mill to Port Swettenham

7. As it is a planned town in 1930s, however it fulfil ALL 10 strategies outlined under Briggs Plan
8. The 1st IC registration in Batu Pahat district was in Cha‟ah on 17 Nov 1948 in Batu Pahat district, most probably due to seriousness of

communist activities surrounding Cha‟ah village – a bandit training centre found in the Jungle nearby Cha‟ah village in 28 Sept 1948.
9. 1st in Johor to have self rule – 1st to elect council in Johor, an improvement on previous village committee elections. The town council

elections are the model.
10. With the limitation of the expansion of the New Village - surrounded by private farm land, estate plantation land (Socfin), G.S.A. (for

Malay), Malay Villages (Kg Jawa, Kg Jawa Baru, Kg Melayu), the new village rather intact with minimum change in landuse. The
development of the New Village is more on unit by unit of individual land over last 70 years – unique presentation of Community
Architecture and self-help examples in Malay(si)a.

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG) Supported by

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村

Acknowledgement: Communities Participation: Cha‟ah NV Working Group

Maps/ Newspaper Articles: Key Focal Points for Chinese Community in Cha‟ah NV

1. Singapore National Archive (online) 1. Dato‟ Ir Fong Tian Yong 方天养 (ex-KPKT NVs Works, member of ICOMOS Malaysia NVWG, Malaysia-China Business Council)
2. Malaysia National Archive. 2. Ar Dr Goh Ai Tee 吳爱蒂(Chair, ICOMOS Malaysia NVWG)
3. Article (newspaper) on Kangchu and Cha‟ah NV contributed by 3. Pang Swee Luan 彭岁暖 (Former Ketua Masyarakat Cha‟ah)
4. Chew Kong Fact 邱广发 (Chairman, Board of Management Cha‟ah Chinese School)
Chairman, Board of Management Cha‟ah Chinese School 5. Wong Leng Chin 黄能展 (Chairman of Alumni Association of SJKC)
4. Cha‟ah NV farming area by Koperasi Cha‟ah Berhad 6. Mey Jyue Meng马杰明 (Headmaster SJKC CHAAH)
5. Old land (farm and house) titles shared by Goh Swee Hee and Ar 7. Chia Ah Moy @ Chia Wee Huang 謝惠芳
8. Ju Weng Hong 茹永康
Dr Goh Ai Tee 9. Wong San Hong 王先衡 (Chairman, Persatuan Hainan Cha‟ah)
6. The G.S.A Kg Jawa by one of the land owners 10. Too Hin Chong 朱贤忠(Deputy Chairman, Persatuan Hainan Cha‟ah)
7. Cha‟ah map 2021 from Shaiful Fauzi b. Mohmin, Bahagian 11. Chong Sin Thiam 张新添 (Chairman, Persatuan of Hakka Cha‟ah)
12. Hong Kok Min 韩国民 (Vice Chairman, Persatuan Hakka Cha‟ah)
Perancang Bandar dan Landskap, Majlis Daerah Labis, Johor 13. Yap Hooi Chong (Secretary, Persatuan Hakka Cha‟ah)
8. Google Map and Google Earth 14. Sum Swee Tuck 覃水德 (Chairman, Kwangsi Provincials Association)
15. Lew Kim Seng 刘金澄 (Vice Chairman of Kwangsi Provincials Association)
Photos: 16. Koh Tian Min 辜天明 (Chairman, Persatuan Hokkien Cha‟ah)
17. Tay Siak Yong (Vice Chairman of Persatuan Hokkien Chaah)
1. Current street view photos 2021 by Ar Dr Goh Ai Tee 18. Yong Soo Len (Pengerusi KRT Chaah Tengah)
2. Internal courtyard photos by Ju Weng Hong 19. Pang Ah Kaw (Pengerusi Koperasi Chaah Berhad)
3. Old photos of Cha‟ah Chinese Schools by Chia Ah Moy @ Chia 20. Lai Ah Lek 黎亜烈 (Secretary Koperasi Chaah Berhad)
21. Goh Swee Hee 吳瑞喜 (PIC of Liu Ren Fa Tan
Wee Huang, Pang Swee Luan, Ju Weng Hong, Too Hin Chong, 22. Chen Siew Lan (PIC of Christian Church Cha‟ah)
4. Photos relating to Socfin JLE by Mahendran Kutty, Divakaran a/l
Key Focal Points for Malay and Indian Community in Cha‟ah NV
Madhaven
5. Street views of Industrial buildings and Kg Melayu Cha‟ah within 1. Hj. Masduki b. Jarkasi (ex-Penghulu Melayu Cha‟ah NV, wakil PPK Labis, Koperasi Permodalan Melayu Johor Berhad)
2. Mahendran Kutty (ex-resident of JLE under Socfin Group Berhad)
Cha‟ah from GoogleMaps, 3. Divakaran a/l Madhaven (ex-resident of JLE under Socfin Group Berhad)
6. Photos of plantation by Goh Swee Hee,
- THANK YOU -
Associations/ Communities Anniversary Publication:

1. Persatuan Hakka Cha‟ah (1958-2008) 50 years Anniversary
2. Cha‟ah Christian Church (1953-2003) 50 years anniversary

Registration of Society and Schools etc

1. The registration of formerly Cha‟ah Co-operative Farming Society
Limited, now Koperasi Cha‟ah Berhad

2. The registration of English afternoon School, by Chew Kong Fact

ICOMOS Malaysia New Village Working Group (NVWG) Supported by

NVWG#2: A melting pot of built form and culture in the rural areas in Malay(si)a
Case Study 1: Cha‟ah New Village三合港新村