PEOPLE passing by the Wang Kelian arcade would likely find it hard to believe that this “ghost town” on the Perlis-Thai border used to be a bustling place just two years ago.
Almost all of the 80 shops dotting both sides of the trunk road linking Wang Kelian to the southern Thai town of Wang Prachan are deserted.
They were slowly abandoned over the course of two years, victims of the aftermath of the discovery of mass graves of illegal immigrants trafficked here by syndicates which brought them across the border.
There was no sign that the tremors from the shocking discovery were abating.
The decision by Malaysian authorities to suspend the free flow zone in April 2015 on security grounds saw trade in this border town taking a serious beating.
The free flow zone, which
allowed people from both countries to move freely between Wang Prachan and Wang Kelian for shopping without travel
documents, was introduced in 1993.
Checks by the New Straits Times yesterday showed only five shops were operating.
Fatimah Abdul Kadir, a 57-year-old trader who sells blankets and kitchenware, said she had been running her business only on weekends, from 10am to 5pm, for the past two years.
She said the discovery of the mass graves in nearby Bukit Burma two years ago had shredded Wang Kelian’s reputation as a shopping haven.
She added that the situation was only compounded by the Malaysian authorities’ decision to suspend the free flow zone.
“There are only a few of us left... the rest took their business elsewhere and, frankly speaking, it is getting harder to survive.
“I hardly earn sales above RM100 daily over the weekend and there are days when I return home empty-handed.
“We would be lucky if there is a group of tourists making a stop here before resuming their journey to southern Thailand,” she said with teary eyes.
Fatimah, who had been plying her trade at the town for the past 15 years, said Wang Kelian used to be bustling with shoppers, especially during weekends and major holidays.
Most of the traders in Wang Kelian, she said, had moved their business to Wang Prachan.
The situation in Wang Kelian is in stark contrast to the Padang Besar arcade, another Malaysian-Thai border town in Perlis.
Following the introduction of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd’s Electric Train Service and commuter train services a couple of years ago, Padang Besar’s business activity is on the uptick.
Asked if she might move her business to Padang Besar, Fatimah said she could not afford to pay the high rentals, nor could she cope with the stiff competition there.
In February, Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali had said the department would consider any request to reopen the free-flow zone in Wang Kelian.
He had said the Perlis government could file an official appeal to the cabinet committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also home minister.
Not all is lost for Wang Kelian
Driving along the twisting road about 8km from Kaki Bukit all the way to Wang Kelian might be challenging, but it is worth the while, especially for nature lovers.
On top of the scenic view along the way, one is greeted by pretty limestone hills as well as the Perlis State Park’s semi-deciduous forest upon reaching Wang Kelian.
The park, located on the Nakawan range, the longest limestone hill range in Malaysia, is heavily forested, and has extensive cave systems, sheer cliff faces and numerous streams.
In one spectacular cave in the park, nature lovers can view vast formations of stalactites and stalagmites.
An economic expert from Universiti Utara Malaysia, Professor Datuk Dr Amir Hussin Baharuddin, said the natural beauty, especially of the 5,000ha park, could be further developed as a tourist attraction.
He said by doing so, Wang Kelian, which has now turned into a “ghost town” since the ban on the free flow zone, could be revived and once again turn into a bustling town thronged by Malaysians and foreigners.
Amir described the green scenery along the way to Wang Kelian as breathtaking, adding that the state park was a treasure trove for nature enthusiasts.
“Apart from that, the surrounding areas are also thriving, especially since the setting up of Universiti Malaysia Perlis and Kolej Universiti Islam Perlis at Sungai Chucuh, coupled with the Electric Train Service that passes through Padang Besar.
“With proper planning, the place could be developed into a recreational spot with potential to draw many tourists, like it used to, even without the free flow zone,” he told the New Straits Times.
Wang Kelian’s location near the Malaysian-Thai border would also prove advantageous, said Amir, as those who wished to travel to the neighbouring country could make a pitstop there for recreational and leisure purposes.
Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man said there was a plan to develop Wang Kelian as a tourist attraction premised on the thriving cross-border trade.
The plan, he said, was based on a report submitted by a consultant sponsored by the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority.
However, he said the state government was keeping the plan in abeyance for the moment since business activities on the Malaysian side of the border had died off.
“The state government may revisit the plan when the dynamics and situation on the ground have changed,” he said.