Gopeng (Jawi: ڬوڤيڠ) is a town located in Mukim Teja, Kampar District, Perak, Malaysia. It is situated approximately 20 km (12 mi) south of Ipoh, the state capital.
Gopeng was the most important town in the Kinta Valley until 1890, when Ipoh became more prominent. Gopeng was intensively mined by both European and Chinese miners, the latter having significant Hakka representation under Chung Keng Kwee, the leader of the Hai San secret society during the Larut War. He was appointed as the Kapitan Cina after the Pangkor Treaty, and although his main homes were in Taiping and Penang, he maintained his foothold in Gopeng, securing contracts for street lighting there in 1892 as well as building quarters for civil servants thereafter.[1] For the first few decades after British intervention, Gopeng was run by a tripartite; the Europeans, the Chinese led by the Eu family, and the Sumatrans by the Assistant Penghulu Imam Prang Ja Barumun. Gopeng is also one of the first places where large numbers of Orang Asli came into contact with outsiders in the 19th century.[1]
Gopeng is located on the west side of the North-South Expressway (E1) stretch of Tapah-Simpang Pulai. The expressway cuts through the limestone hills and the Titiwangsa range, and Tapah-Gopeng stretch is one of the most scenic routes on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. On clear days, the Lata Kinjang waterfall could be seen on the right side of the highway for drivers heading up north to Gopeng.
