Yes, you can enter Bukit Larang

	By Badrolhisham Bidin, May 1, 2011  When World War 2 ended, the locals thought they would not be setting eyes on the Japanese for a long time.
	But they were wrong. The Japanese returned to Malacca soon after, but without their swords and weapons this time, to work in the coal mines near Bukit Pegoh.
	The coal mining area and a village nearby later became known as Bukit Larang and Kampung Bukit Larang.
	It is surrounded by four other villages -- Kampung Bukit Kecil, Kampung Bukit Pegoh, Kampung Lintang and Kampung Meta.
	As expected, the name of the area and village should be derived from the word arang, which is coal in Malay.
	But what has baffled 74-year-old villager Awi@Kasmawi Johari all these years is why the word larang, which means prohibit in Malay, was used instead of arang.
	He believed the names could have been coined from the Dilarang Masuk or "No Entry" signs emblazoned near the mines.
	"Although the mines were prohibited areas, the Japanese were kind enough to let the kids enter.
	"I remember how we used to 'follow' the coal by rail to the seaside in Telok Mas, close to where the Henry Gurney school is now.
	"The Japanese were friendly and jovial, and they allowed us to ride in the iron boxes used to transport coal across padi fields."
	Back then, the place was bustling with activity as labourers toiled day and night in the mines.
	But unlike during the war, the labourers were not prisoners and could return home after work.
	"The Japanese soldiers had somehow overlooked our settlement when they invaded Malaya.
	"But we heard of their atrocities and were, at first, apprehensive when told that they had been given the licence to operate the mines.
	"But we were overwhelmed by their kindness. The Japanese were friendly to everyone."
	Awi remembered the good old days when kids used to play in the padi fields, looking for ikan haruan (Channa striatus) and ikan betuk (Anabas testudineus).
	Betuk was sold at 50 sen for 20 fishes while haruan was sold at 80 sen each.
	"This would help supplement my father's income, which was RM12 a week as a miner. He also got about 10kg of rice a month for working in the mines," said Awi, who used to be a silat instructor.
	"The area surrounding our village was filled with padi fields as far as the eye could see. They were all gone by the 1980s when a big portion was earmarked as industrial land."
	The mines were abandoned after two years when the coal supply was depleted. The village is now home to more than 1,000 people.
	Awi, who now sells nasi lemak for a living, said there was a mysterious rock at a secluded spot in Bukit Larang.
	"The rock could not be levelled. Once, heavy machinery was brought in to flatten the area.
	"The engine died and no matter what the contractors did, it just wouldn't budge. In the end, they abandoned the project.
	"During the Japanese occupation, they also tried to level the area. They did everything short of using dynamites but the rock remained until today."
	Another resident, Johari Taib, said the village was well-equipped with basic amenities, including a community hall and schools.
	"I am comfortable here. Maybe the state government can extend free Wi-Fi service to the village," he said, adding that there was also a housing estate named Taman Bukit Larang Indah nearby.
	Several beautiful bungalows along the main road is a sign of rising affluence among the villagers over the years.