• Hutan Simpan Bukit Cherakah (1909-Kini)

Bukit Panjang terletak di sebelah barat Hutan Simpan Bukit Cherakah, dalam mukim Jeram, Kuala Selangor. Pada zaman kolonial British, ia adalah antara kawasan terawal yang diterokai, dan mungkin menjadi antara pencetus pewartaan hutan simpan tersebut.

Sekitar 1888, terdapat lima orang Melayu mengerjakan ladang gambir di Bukit Panjang: “Kuala Selangor, 11th February 1888; Sir, I have the honor to inform you that five Malay planting gambier at Bkt Panjang have applied to me for a loan of $150. Raja Dollah, Penghulu of Jeram, has by my instructions visited the gardens, & reports that they are well kept, & that there are now about 9,000 plants ready to be cropped. A Malay experienced in the cooking of Gambier who went with Raja Dollah informed him, that from that number of plants Gambier to the value of $1800, at a low computation, should be obtained. Applicants ask for the loan to enable them to erect cooking sheds at once, & also as they wish to take advantage of the present day weather to clear more lands for planting. They wisely do not wish to get into the hands of Chinese advancers.” (Arkib Negara 1957/0010332W, 11/02/1888: |"INFORMS THAT THE FIVE MALAY PLANTING GAMBIER AT BUKIT PANJANG HAVE APPLIES TO HIM FOR A LOAN OF $150/-").

Menurut laporan G.C. Bellamy pada Februari 1893, terdapat sekawan gajah yang masuk ke kampung-kampung di sekitar Bukit Jeram dan Api-Api, yang tampaknya datang dari arah kawasan paya di sebelah timurnya, yang meliputi hingga ke Bukit Panjang: “Mr. G.C. Bellamy reports from Kuala Selangor:- Jeram has not been much troubled by elephants since the night Rajah Dolah and others, including myself, attacked the herd and drove it off. A large rogue has, however, been paying rather frequent visits to the kampongs near Bukit Jeram, but as he is not very regular one scarcely knows how to tackle him. It is impossible to follow elephants through the swamp, which extends as far as Bukit Panjang, so that all one can do is to lay in wait at night when these brutes come down to feed. The herd we attacked crossed the country to Pasangan and has lately been damaging the crops both there and at Api-Api.” (Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, 21 February 1893, Page 3: |"SELANGOR NEWS").

Menurut Nicholas Belfield (N.B.) Dennys di dalam kamusnya, “False Parcelar” merujuk sebuah bukit setinggi 936 kaki, 5 batu dari pantai Selangor, 12½ batu ke sebelah barat laut Klang, iaitu kemungkinan sekitar banjaran Bukit Panjang / Bukit Cherakah: “False Parcelar - Hill 936 feet high, 5 miles from the coast of Selangor, about 12½ miles N.W. of Klang.” (Nicholas Belfield (N.B.) Dennys, 1894: |"A Descriptive Dictionary of British Malaya", m.s. 118).

Sekitar tahun 1896, Pegawai Daerah Klang melaporkan tinjauan jalan yang bakal dibina menghubungkan jalan Sungai Binjai di Bukit Raja Klang, hingga ke Bukit Panjang: “Klang: The District officer says in his January report:- During the month Messrs. F.W. Wiggin and E.V. Carey applied for one and four blocks of land, 320 acres in area each, on the Jalan Kabun and at Bukit Raja, adjoining the Sungei Binjei Road, respectively. On the 3rd I went, in company with Mr. Carey, along a portion of the trace of the Sungei Binjei Road and to Bukit Prah Lanti, where there is a small settlement of Sakais, and a ladder constructed up a high tree, from which good observation of the surrounding country can be made. I went partly up this ladder with the object of seeing whether the continuation of the trace of the Sungei Binjei Road would come in contact with any hills before reaching the range or series of hills of which Bukit Panjang forms one, to the south of Ijok, to which place the road is to be constructed. From the point of observation to Bukit Panjang and the adjacent hills the country appeared entirely flat for a distance of some ten miles, more or less.” (Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, 2 March 1896, Page 3: |"SELANGOR NEWS"; The Straits Budget, 10 March 1896, Page 5 (versi panjang): |"KLANG").

Sekitar tahun itu juga, Penghulu Haji Ahmat ditugaskan menyambung jalan dari Jeram hingga ke Bukit Panjang, untuk tujuan perhubungan bagi peladang di situ, juga perparitan untuk skim perairannya: “P.W.D. Head Office, Kuala Lumpur. Dated 11th August 1896. Subject: Estimates for constructing two new tracks at K. Selangor. Sir, I have the honour to submit for consideration two estimates for two tracks that the District Officer of Kuala Selangor wishes to be made this year chargeable to item 16/34 New Tracks Kuala Selangor. 2. It is proposed to extend the Bukit Panjang road by one and a third miles, so as to reach the clearings that are now being made on that hill, at a cost of $730. The road would be 9 feet wide with a 9 foot drain and from my inspection a few days ago I consider the road necessary not only for the present purpose of giving communication to the settlers on the Hill but necessary if the Irrigation scheme now being surveyed is carried out. 3. The other road would run more or less parallel to the Klang-Kuala Selangor road starting from the 1st mile on the Bukit Rotan road & then follows a straight line for about 3 miles until it meets the track which runs from the 23rd mile on the Klang-Kuala Selangor road towards Permatang Tengah. It would be 6 feet in width and will cost $770. 4. The provision is $1,500 being equal to the proposed expenditure. 5. The District officer is very anxious that these tracks should be made as soon as possible and the Penghulu Hadji Ahmat has agreed to undertake the Bukit Panjang road while the District Engineer has a man in view who will take up the other. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Obedient Servant, ?, State Engineer.” (Arkib Negara 1957/0064639W, 11/08/1896: |"NEW TRACKS, KUALA SELANGOR. (1) EXTENSION OF BUKIT PANJANG ROAD BY 1 1/3 MILES $730. (2) PERMATANG TENGAH ROAD $770").

Lakaran kemungkinan jalan Jeram-Bukit Panjang (kuning), dan Sungai Binjai-Bukit Panjang (merah), berdasarkan peta tahun 1904. Kelihatan juga kawasan “Paya Jeram” di antara Jeram dan Bukit Panjang, yang dikatakan sebahagian laluan serta habitat sekawan gajah yang dilaporkan di atas (Edinburgh Geographical Institute, 1904 @ Yale University Library - Digital Collections: |"Selangor, Federated Malay States, 1904 / John Bartholomew & Co ; W.T. Wood, chief draftman").

Penghulu Hadji Ahmat (Haji Ahmad) yang dinyatakan di atas adalah penghulu mukim Api-Api, terletak di antara Jeram dan Kuala Selangor (rujuk peta 1904 di atas):-

• Menurut pegawai daerah sekitar 1893, Haji Ahmad adalah penghulu yang berdedikasi terhadap warga mukimnya di Api Api: “District Office, Kwala Selangor. Dated 2nd March 1893. Application from Haji Ahmat, Penghulu of Api Api for an advance of $30.00. Sir, I have the honour to recommend Haji Ahmat Penghulu of Api Api for an advance on his allowance of $30.00 which he agrees to refund by instalments of $10.00 per mensem. 2. I attach his application and can assure Govt. that my help granted to Haji Ahmat is much appreciated and turned to the best possible account. His allowance is none too large considering the amount of good he does with it as I know for a fact that he uses the greater portion of it in assisting the people in his mukim. He has received advances…” (Arkib Negara 1957/0037934W, 02/03/1893: |"HAJI AHMAT - PENGHULU OF API-API - APPLICATION FOR AN ADVANCE OF $30. RECOMMENDS;").

• Penghulu Haji Ahmad pernah turut serta mengiringi lawatan rombongan Residen ke daerah Kuala Selangor sekitar tahun 1890-an: “[Catatan ini ditulis oleh C.H.A. Turney et al. dan pertama kali diterbitkan pada tahun 1890-an dalam Selangor Journal. C.H.A. Turney ialah Pegawai Daerah Kelang 1890-1892. Artikel beliau dan rakan-rakan diterjemahkan di sini sebagai cuplikan daripada buku yang bakal terbit, Dari Batang Berjuntai ke Bestari Jaya: Koleksi Memoir, susunan Md. Sidin Ahmad Ishak]. … Dari Kampung Asahan, kumpulan tersebut berjalan kaki setengah batu, di atas laluan yang kasar dan yang memperlihatkan tapak-tapak kaki harimau, menuju ke Jalan Rawang-Kuala Selangor, tujuh suku batu dari Kuala Selangor di Mukim Pasangan. Ketua kampung mukim ini bernama Raja Jaafar yang sudah tua usianya sehingga kurang kegiatan pertanian di sini. Semasa Tuan Residen tiba, beliau tidak datang menyambutnya kerana sedang memburu gajah. Raja Dolah, Penghulu Jeram, Imam Perang Perkasa, Penghulu Kuala Selangor, Dato’ Dagang dan Penghulu Pancang Pedina mengiringi rombongan. Kira-kira di Batu 4, Penghulu Haji Ahmad dari mukim Api-Api dan Dato’ Dagang menemui Residen. Lalu Residen pun dibawa ke pondok yang dibina khas untuk menyaksikan pandangan cantik 100 ekar sawah padi yang baru dibuka dan sedang tumbuh menghasilkan beras hasil daripada bantuan kerajaan yang menyediakan kerbau kepada orang kampung. Tanah tersebut diusahakan oleh keluarga dari Kelantan yang dibawa oleh Che Mat pada tahun 1893 apabila beliau dilantik menjadi Dato’ Dagang oleh Sultan. Penggunaan kerbau untuk membajak tanah di sawah padi memanglah terkenal dan ketiadaan haiwan-haiwan itu di daerah ini sejak kekacauan awam (akibat perang saudara) beberapa tahun lalu menyebabkan pertanian padi tidak dapat dijalankan dan perlu dipulihkan semula dengan bantuan Sultan.” (Universiti Selangor, 2022: "Istiadat Konvokesyen Ke-16, 2022", m.s.39-40).

Menurut catatan Pegawai Daerah Kuala Selangor, Mr. A. Hale, pada bulan April 1897: Bukit Panjang diduduki oleh majoriti masyarakat Banjar. 100 ekar kawasan lereng bukit itu telah ditanam kopi: Kaum Cina menanam kopi sahaja, manakala kaum Banjar menanam padi dahulu, diikuti kopi. Kaum Melayu/tempatan pula hanya menanam padi bukit. Atas cadangan Mr. Hale, kawasan bukit hanya ditanam kopi, manakala kawasan paya di kaki bukit dibuka untuk sawah padi: “In his report for April, the District Officer Kuala Selangor (Mr. A. Hale) writes:- ….. 26th and 28th (April). I spent three nights at Bukit Panjang. There is a considerable Banjarese settlement here and perhaps 100 acres of coffee planted out; the soil is, I am afraid, not very good, it is too sandy, but an adjacent hill just started is much better. There are three sorts of cultivation here - a few Chinese have taken up land and planted coffee directly, this looks very well; the Banjarese planted padi first and then coffee, this looks badly; the native Malays planted padi and no coffee at all, they only took up the land for the sake of a crop of hill padi. During my stay there I was able to convince the Banjarese that the Chinese system was the only one likely to be profitable. I have since received a letter from the Banjarese headman in which he promises, for his people, that they will plant no more hill padi but clear their hill land and plant coffee directly, and take up swamp land for permanent sawahs. I arranged for a man to manage the sawah cultivation; for the land already applied for to be demarcated as soon as possible; and have since received 62 fresh applications for sawah land. If only I had a sufficient staff of demarcators to deal with these applications, I believe in two year's time such an extensive sawah cultivation would spring up between the road and the Bukit Panjang range, that the Government would see reason to spend money in assisting the people to irrigate the land and make it a permanent and valuable property.” (Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, 9 June 1897, Page 3: |"SELANGOR NEWS").

Menurut catatan Mr. A. Hale pada bulan Jun 1897, hampir 1,000 ekar hutan paya di sekitar Bukit Panjang telah ditebang untuk penanaman padi: “In his June report Mr. A. Hale, D.O., writes:- Mr. Tanner, from Ceylon arrived (10th June) to look at some coffee land. I went to Jeram on 13th June. The people are distressed that the police are being moved to Sungei Buluh. I confess I do not see the benefit and have written officially on the matter. At Bukit Panjang nearly a thousand acres have been felled for padi planting. I went on 20th June to Kuala Lumpur for the Jubilee, having sent the chiefs on two days before. On 26th I returned to Kuala Selangor. Everywhere I hear amongst the people who attended the Jubilee expressions of gratification concerning the celebration. Last night (29th June) and the night before, what appear to have been attempts to burn the town down occured; and each night the attap roofs of shop houses were discovered on fire, which was in both instances luckily put out. On telegraphing for assistance to Klang three extra constables were sent, so that two men are now on guard in the town instead of one. These fires have had the effect of frightening the Chinese shop-keepers, and I am about to report on a scheme for roofing the town with tiles.” (Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, 9 August 1897, Page 3: |"KUALA SELANGOR").

Hampir 2 tahun setelah itu (1899), pegawai daerah menyatakan tanaman kopi yang ditanam oleh kaum Cina di Bukit Panjang tampak sangat baik: “The Chinese coffee on Bukit Panjang, Kuala Selangor, looks extremely well. The district officer wishes the English planters had tried these hills as well as the swamp land.” (Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, 5 January 1899, Page 2: |"LOCAL AND GENERAL").

Perancangan perparitan di Bukit Panjang dan Bukit Cherakah bermula sekitar tahun 1898: “Plan and Estimate, Bukit Panjang and Bukit Cheraka (Jeram) Drainage Scheme, Forwards; Sir, In accordance with instructions under date 17.5.98 on 1413/98, I have the honour to forward herewith a plan and estimate for the complete Bukit Panjang and Bukit Cheraka (Jeram) Drainage Scheme. 2. The estimate for the complete scheme in accordance with the wishes and proposals of the District Officer is $19,003.00. Of this sum $8,500.00 has been provided this year under authority in 1413/98. There will therefore be a further sum of $10,503.00 (say $10,500.00) to be voted in 1899 to carry out the whole scheme. 3. I am uncertain if it would be advisable to vote the whole of this money until the work at present done has been tested by time and the benefit derived to the native settlers has been proved, and I am of opinion that the District Officer should be requested to report on this point. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Obedient Servant, H.F. Bellamy, Acting State Engineer.” (Arkib Negara 1957/0078827W, 01/09/1898: |"PLAN AND ESTIMATE, BUKIT PANJANG AND BUKIT CHERAKA JERAM DRAINAGE SCHEME. FORWARDS : -").

Projek tersebut berjalan dengan lancar sepanjang tahun tersebut. Pembinaan kunci air belum dapat ditetapkan oleh kerana parit belum siap dibina hingga ke Bukit Cherakah:-

“P.W.D. Head Office, Kuala Lumpur, Dated 23rd September, 1898. P.W.D.No: 3376/98. Bukit Panjang Drainage Scheme. Asks if he may proceed with the work to extent of money available. Sir, With reference to 2899/97, I have the honour to report that, after carrying out the work known as the Bukit Panjang Drainage Scheme, on the lines ordered by the Resident on 17.5.98 on 1418/98, I have a balance on the vote of $1,216.40. 2. As the District Officer wishes all the work possible to be done this year, I have the honour to ask if I am at liberty to proceed with the work to the amount of money available and given above.” - H.F.Bellamy, Acting State Engineer.

“Approved. 28.9. 2. What is proposed in the way of watergates for this drainage scheme?” - Resident

“Watergates are provided for in the final estimate submitted in my2276/98 ? on 25/9 but until the drain is completed to Bkt Cheraka and the quantity of water to be dealt with is ascertained more exactly, it is difficult to say how many watergates are required or where is the best place for them.” - S.E.(State Engineer) 10.10.98.

(Sumber: Arkib Negara 1957/0079158W, 23/09/1898: |"BUKIT PANJANG DRAINAGE SCHEME. ENQUIRES IF HE MAY PROCEED WITH THE WORK TO EXTENT OF MONEY AVAILABLE").

Namun pada tahun berikutnya (1899), terjadi kelewatan pada pembinaan perparitan tersebut. Pegawai Daerah Kuala Selangor menjelaskan bahawa ia adalah disebabkan kekurangan tenaga kerja di kawasan itu. Sementara itu, keperluan kegiatan penanam padi di situ telah memaksa tumpuan dialihkan kepada pembinaan empangan sementara untuk mengawal paras air ketika musim banjir dan kemarau:-

“Reports inability to continue excavating the drain towards Bukit Chelaka in the Kuala Selangor district.” - State Engineer, K. Lumpor. 11.10.99.

“I enclose a copy of a minute from the D.E. to me on the subject. 2. I consider the dams of more importance than the progress of the work. 3. I also endorse the D.E.'s remarks as to the difficulty of the work. 4. And whilst I deplore the delay in the work I am afraid we must ? ? with it, the prime reason is of course the small amount of available labour in the district.” - D.O. K. Selangor, 17.10.99.

“D.O. K. Selangor, Please explain in what way ? dams are of more importance than the progress of the work. The circumstance must have been very unusual to ? ? delaying a work approved by the government and still under the ? of the P.W.D.” - 20.10.99.

“The drain ? the double purpose of draining the land when it is too wet and as irrigation drain from which the land is flooded when it is too dry; for the second purpose temporary dams are put in by the padi growers to save the level of the water. 2. As soon as the drain is completed to Bukit Cheraka permanent flush gates will be put in for the purpose of ? the level of the water they ? provided for in the orginal estimate but have not yet have constructed because progress has been so slow on the work of drain ? that is ? decided to leave them out until the drain is completed. 3. The same thing took place last year about the dams; in October, when the padi planters wanted the water raised for irrigation, dams were put in. The P.W.D. are fully aware of the necessity having been duly noticed by me both last year and this several months before the necessity of erecting the dams. 4. It is these dams - or as will ? be erected - the permanent flush gates that ? padi growing possible until more permanent irrigation works are started and the Sungei Buloh is dammed.” - 23.10.99.

(Sumber: Arkib Negara 1957/0086578W, 11/10/1899: |"REPORTS INABILITY TO CONTINUE EXCAVATING THE DRAIN TOWARDS BUKIT CHELAKA IN THE KUALA SELANGOR DISTRICT").