While economic development of a town is vital for sustenance of its people, sometimes it strips away the very essence of the existence of that place... if we are not careful.
Kroh aka Pengkalan Hulu is no longer what it used to be. Rapid development has stripped away its natural beauty. It has become just like another old town in the outskirts we drive through. Nothing worth stopping for except border attractions.
Gone are its original charm, serenity, its spirit. Gone are the cherished magical mornings and the cool enchanted evenings.
What is even worse is the natural spirit of its pioneers are lost. The majority of people here now are more strangers and newcomers to this town who have brought with them their disinterest and ignorance to this town's past. They know only profit and survival. They are not interested in preservation.
They have no idea how it was say 40 , 50 more so 100 years ago... so they don't really care what really happens to this place as long as they are making their money and living. They have no idea what a blessed place it was once before, how everyone knew everyone else in this town, how people helped each other, how warm was the interaction. Just ask any old Krohite, and they will tell you.
Well done, developers and certain town planners who only think profit ..well done for having destroyed another God's gift with your shortsightedness and selfishness. Hope your bungalows, the undertable transactions and bank balance for your children and grandchildren are well worth this fanaa.(destruction).
Chopping down 50 year trees, covering up natural streams, building garish looking buildings, ill-maintained chalets, dirty floating restaurants, many smelly public toilets and a hospital around once a lovely park.
A lake formed century ago by a Siam king's elephants with river water ONCE clean enough to swim and drink. Our nenek moyangs (@great-grandparents) washed and swam in this lake. Now it stinks with drain water channelled into it. What a total disrespect to God's gift.
It should be a town built for retreat and rest, a tourist attraction, a holiday destination with its many natural attractions, hot springs, caves and natural reserves. Why not make money that way instead trampling all over it with the mundane projects??
Instead Kroh has ended up being bashed up by too fast a commercial development with indiscriminate construction of shophouses and factories, stripping away of its green lungs and water containment areas.. only a person who is not born in this town or not connected to this place can trash this town up for pure selfish business purposes. Kroh has become an eyesore now. The misty mornings are hot instead of freezing cold 40 years ago.
Kroh has become an estranged town. It is sad. But life moves on. Hopefully it will move in a circle. Maybe someday someone with wisdom and foresight will turn things around and restore this town back to its glorious days.
Till then, Goodbye... old Kroh, rest well. It has been good as long it lasted. Thank you for the gift of beautiful childhood memories. Subhanallah..... it had been wonderful.
