Feeling nostalgic? Go to Rasa

	IF you have a taste for all things old, colonial and laidback, Rasa in Hulu Selangor might be your cup of tea.
	Not much has changed in the town that was once the centre of British administration during its heydays as a mining town.
	Rasa became the four-year capital of Hulu Selangor after massive floods in 1926 sank the entire town of Kuala Kubu Baru.
	The British, wanting to rebuild Kuala Kubu Baru, moved everything, lock, stock and barrel, to Rasa, so that town planners could work on getting the former back to its old glory.
	Tinsmith Yew Chee Meng, 63, said when the British left Kuala Kubu Baru, they left the old world charm behind.
	"People living in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of Malaysia used to come here to see what the good old days of the colonial era was like. Even now, when you drive along Rasa town, people will still get the feel of what the small town was like in the 50's through to the 70's.
	"Frankly, not much has changed, except that we have more housing estates and more foreign labour here."
	Yew's father came to Rasa to open his own tinsmith shop opposite the old railway station.
	At that time, there was a demand for tinsmiths because of the thriving tin mining industry. Tinsmiths were also in demand by households who relied on them to mend their old pots and pans.
	Business then, was brisk. But now, Yew, who is the only tinsmith in the Hulu Selangor area, said he only made enough to get by.
	"People no longer use aluminium pots and pans, and instead rely on stainless steel cookware or even glassware. Many of them usually throw away things that have holes and cracks.
	"Moreover, Rasa does not have much business activities. My two children are reluctant to take over this business because it is not lucrative enough for them," he said.
	Former temple priest Jayandra Sharma, 63, said when he first moved to Rasa's Indian settlement in Kampung Kandaiah in the 90's, many parts of the town were like a cowboy town.
	Even Kampung Kandaiah, which was occupied by 23 families then, resembled a cowboy town.
	But things changed when more people moved into the settlement, and when the Sri Thandayuthabani temple was built.
	"Kampung Kandaiah was named after a local government councillor, who came from Sri Lanka. The house where I am living now was previously owned by him.
	"He sold the house to a local Chinese man, who then sold it to me. Mr Kandaiah passed away years ago, but his wife and grandchildren used to visit the Sri Thandayuthabani temple until she, too, passed away," Jayandran said.
	Currently, Kampung Kandaiah has about 1,000 families of all races.
	Former clerk Low Myin, 70, and odd-job worker Wong Kow, 79, said they had always enjoyed living in Rasa because it was a quiet place that was surrounded by hills and greenery.
	Unlike many parts of the Klang Valley and Hulu Selangor where development has brought much activity, time appears to have stood still in Rasa, but the residents are not complaining.
	"It's very relaxing to live here and there are still many nooks and corners where we can lepak," they said.
	So how did Rasa get its name?
	The men said Rasa was probably an ancient word for thunder.
	"Our ancestors spoke differently then and we suspect it is the ancient Chinese word for thunder."
	Wong said he had worked for Rasa's very own 'Yap Ah Loy' (Chinese Kapitan), known as Tan Boon Chia, briefly in the fifties.
	"My friend and I were gardeners at his mansion, and we were paid RM400 for the job. From time to time, we would see the old man, who was already wheelchair-bound, and surrounded by nurses and bodyguards.
	"We never spoke to him and our dealings were with his people. Tan came to Rasa from China and worked hard to buy tin mines and became a very rich man."
	The Tan Boon Chia mansion still stands proudly in Rasa.
	Hulu Selangor District Council town planner Azlina Mokhtar said Rasa had always played second fiddle to Kuala Kubu Baru, although it was only a five- to seven- minute drive away.
	"The British used both towns as their capital, and Rasa does have some similarities with Kuala Kubu Baru. Though the council has planned some development for Rasa, it will be controlled because we want to maintain the greenery it offers.
	"Rasa has become attractive to many house buyers who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city."