Pasir Salak, Perak

Galeri Sejarah Perak Darul Ridzuan (21 September, 2004)

Pasir Salak (GPS: 4.18232, 100.95551) is a town along the Perak River, in Perak Tengah. It is a historical site where the first British Resident of Perak, JWW Birch, was murdered.

Within the area around Pasir Salak are no less than 10 royal mausoleums to past Perak Sultans. It is at Pasir Salak that Perak handicrafts such as gold thread embroidery, Perak ceramics and Malay drums originated. Also from Pasir Salak came the Malay dances such as tarian selendang, lotah, dabus and tarian bubu.

Pasir Salak is regarded as the place where Malaysia's modern history began. Its a history that was born out of violence, for Pasir Salak is where a famous murder took place: that of James Wheeler Woodford Birch, (better known simply as J.W.W. Birch) the first British Resident of Perak, on 2 November 1875.

The main settlement of Pasir Salak is at Kampung Gajah, a village on the north bank of the Perak River.