Mission Tracing Tajol Aros family house: Success

Ahhh I am very pleased to report that our mission to track the Tajol Aros clan family house in Tg Malim & Slim River circa 1954-1955 was a success!

Our Tok, Tajol Aros Ahmad was the Deputy Assistant District Officer (DADO) of Tg Malim, Perak in 1954. The house that our clan lived in was still intact, although no one is lving here anymore. The front lawn grass was trimmed. However the same can't be said about the back area which looked like a breeding ground for snakes *eeeeeeek*

Deputy assistant district officer (DADO) house, Tg Malim, 1954

Unfortunately also, the house was locked (but fortunately not the gate, so we could go in the compound) so we couldn't see the house condition inside.

An interesting fact about the house is, one of my aunties - Wan Chik - was born here in this house in the year 1954! My mom was 6 years old at the time. (There are 8 siblings)

Wan Chik was born here in 1954

Next destination was Slim River, about half an hour's drive from Tg Malim. My late granfather was promoted to Assistant District Officer (ADO) in 1955 and was hence transferred to Slim River. We were so happy to find the house not only intact and in good condition, but also, a family is staying here.

Our convoy of a 12-seater Toyota Hi-Ace was initially welcomed with suspicion (dari mana la pulak datangnya rombong Cik Kiah ni? ) , but our tok ketua - Pak Yope - the eldest of the clan quickly reassured the tenant Pn Anisah that we were actually nice people trying to trace our family houses that the clan used to stay in the old days. The latest tenant actually just moved in about a month ago and were still unpacking and re-arranging things.

Assistant district officer (ADO) , Slim River, 1955 (erm , imagine it was 1955)

The house is quite narrow, but long, with 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a store and as a norm for government's DO houses - has a huge compound! Interestingly also, another aunt - Wan Chu was born here, in the house, in the back room in 1955, the following year after moving in from Tg Malim.

The corridor



Still retaining its original grille and mounted wardrobe


Wan Chu was born in this room!

Pak Yope relayed a funny story that happened to him at this house - One day, he and his immediate younger brother Uncle Bob (the 2nd of the 8 siblings) were playing around the house and accidentally broke a netting at the window in the living room. They were around 9 and 8 years old respectively.

Being the mischievous albeit cunning ones, they knew they had to turn the tables around, or they will be in trouble if Tok knew what really happened. So as crafty as they were, they dragged little Pak Lope (around 5 years old) and asked him to throw something to the window to make it look as if the little one was the culprit. But Tok wasn't easily deceived, so the 2 were punished anyway - by locking them in the store room lol! Pak Yope wasn't satisfied with this so he suggested that the 2 of them should run away from home. But Uncle Bob didn't know where to go, so they abandoned the idea.

We then visited the District Officer's house just next door, but unfortunately it was locked, and no one was living there. It looked in good condition with quite modern looking additions of a (now dry) fish pond and lamp posts.

DO house entrance gate: Slim River

Modern looking lamp post + quite new paint: DO house Slim River

We then left our 'ancestral' homes for lunch at the sumptuously delicious, it's almost ridiculous Kedai Makan Andre. The specialty is Ayam goreng kampung with super yummy bawang goreng. On top of that, we also ordered gulai ikan patin ( I think so, not sure, but it was a freshwater fish), gulai ketam (I didn't try, I don't know how to eat crab meat still in their shell :-p), sambal petai udang, ikan masin goreng, ulam-ulam and daging empal. It's ridiculous because I cannot stop eating! It's authentic Malay kampung cooking at its best.

Open at 1pm ok

Simple facade of the kedai makan. I dunno how to find the shop again w/o assstance :-/

Ayam goreng kampung yg gurih & lezat

L-R: Gulai ikan patin (maybe), ikan masin goreng, ulam2, udang sambal petai, daging empal, gulai ketam, ayam goreng kampung w/ bawang goreng sedap

This was truly a trip down memory lane for us. I can't help but be happy to get the opportunity to relieve the memories and treasure the historical grounds (at least for our clan) and journey that my late grandparents undertook during their living years.