Terusan Wan Mat Saman (Wan Mat Saman Canal) was constructed by the Prime Minister of Kedah, Wan Muhamad Saman bin Wan Ismail in the last quarter of the 19^th century. The purpose of the canal was to improve drainage but primarily to facilitate journeys of sampan through the waterways for the transportation of paddy and other goods. The canal constructed in 1885 southwards of Alor Setar, the present state capital, towards the mountainous range of Kedah Peak (Gunung Jerai) where the water source originates. When completed in 1895 the canal is 22 miles in length, a width of 24 feet and has a depth of 5 feet. The canal also serves as a route for flood mitigation during heavy rain in the Gunung Jerai mountain range.

The construction of the canal enables the transformation of useless swamplands into another vast area for rice cultivation and soon attracted a large number of settlers along the canal. Mr. F.A. Swettenham during his visit in 1889 expresses his surprise by saying “the paddy fields are of greater extent than any other states I have seen elsewhere in Peninsular. The whole country up to Perlis for some distance from the coast is one vast paddy plain”.

Before the development of the Muda Irrigation Project, the Wan Mat Saman Canal was under the care of the State of Kedah Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID). When Muda Irrigation Project was developed in the First Malaysia Plan (1966-1970), the canal was incorporated in the design by the Consultant to serve as one of the major trunks drain in the reticulation system. Since then, the canal serves as a major drain to paddy cultivation as well as urban drainage final discharge point for the small town along the canal. The canal was then handed over to Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) for operation and maintenance from the Kedah State DID.

History

Wan Mat Saman Canal was constructed in 1885 at the order of Kedah’s first Prime Minister at the time, Dato’ Wan Muhamad Saman Wan Ismail Dato’ Wan Muhamad Saman served during the reigns of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Mukarram Shah, Sultan Zainal Rashid Muadzam Shah II and Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah. Together with the help of villagers, Wan Muhamad Saman built a canal that cut southwards from Alor Star to the foothills of Gunung Jerai. To ensure that the canal ran straight, the initial diggings were carried out at night, in which rows of “or traditional torches were lit in a straight line. The linear canal was built solely using human labour and traditional tools, such as cam, cop and machete

The construction of the canal was in collaboration between the Kingdom of Thailand and Kedah. Dato’ Wan Muhamad Saman invited surveyors from Thailand to help in the construction of the canal after a visit to Bangkok. The construction of the canal was a monumental achievement during its time. When the canal was completed in 1895 it is 35 km in length, a width of 7 m and has a depth of 1.5 m. It was the longest hand-constructed canal in Malaysia and it continues to be in service until today.

Project Outcome and Impacts

Wan Mat San Canal has brought changes to agriculture development in the Kedah State The development contributed to the granary in Kedah which is now known as the “Rice Bowl of Malaysia”. This success continued by the development of the Muda Irrigation Scheme initiated by Malaysia’s First Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman which also benefited the southern part of Perlis. This project led to more effective and systematic water management systems which allow double cropping of paddy and allows for flood routing during the perennial monsoon flood. The Muda Area has since been able to produce nearly 40 of the paddy production of the nation and generates an industry worth of more than a billion ringgit annually which elevates the standards of livings of farmers in the Muda Area.

Water Heritage

The Wan Mat Saman Canal represents a milestone/turning point in the development of irrigated agriculture

The Wan Mat Saman Canal is the first of its kind constructed in the last quarter of the 19^th century by a distinguished leader turned to be a Statesman. It later catalyzed the development of irrigated agriculture when the newly independence Malaysia started development and to reduce poverty among the rural community.

The Wan Mat Saman Canal was an outstanding contribution to enhancing food production

The swampland was converted into paddy cultivated area benefitted after the construction of the canal. The area produces a substantial amount of paddy to feed the population. In the present situation of the Muda Area, with an intensified density of canal and drains at a secondary and tertiary level the largest granary was able to produce almost 40% of the national rice production.

The Wan Mat Saman Canal was innovative in its idea at the time of construction

The construction of the canal was a “transfer of technology” between the Kingdom of Thailand and Kedah where after a visit to Bangkok the Statesman, Wan Muhamad Saman invited surveyors from Thailand to help in the construction of the canal. It is recorded in the books of history the canal was also constructed at night to facilitate ranging works by using a burning torch.

The Wan Mat Saman Canal bears the stamp of a cultural tradition of past the past

From historical records, the area is a traditional paddy planting since 500 years ago. The present practice of double cropping benefitted from infrastructural development in the Muda Irrigation Project, constructed from 1965 to 1970 continues the cultural tradition practices since centuries ago.

The Wan Mat Saman Canal was unique in some positive and constructive way

As a result of the constructed canal, the alignment of the canal was also the alignment of the present Federal Route no. 1 constructed during the British Administration earlier to connect Alor Setar and Kulim where Sungai Petani is located the present day. 

Present State of Conservation

The present maintenance work carried at the Terusan Wan Mat Saman (Wan Mat Saman Canal) is the periodical clearing work carried out by Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) and the Public Works Department (JKR). MADA will clear the bund side of the canal while JKR clear the roadside of the canal. The clearing work is carried out once a month. Two Local authorities viz. Alor Setar City Council (MBAS) and Yan District Council (MDY) take care of the solid waste management at towns (pekan) along the Wan Mat Saman Canal.

Settlement along the canal that started in the early days after the canal construction are still preserved until the present days. These settlements grew into the small township that became an important economic centre to its surrounding area. They are Pekan Simpang Empat, Pekan Kota Sarang Semut and Pekan Guar Chempedak.

In 2012, MADA initiated a conservation plan of Terusan Wan Mat Saman with funds from the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry. The works carried out are i) Rehabilitation of the Canal by Desilting ii) Construction of a Gallery Depicting the History of Terusan Wan Mat Saman iii) Construction of Landscape at Kampong Padang Lumat. The application was submitted by the National Heritage Department to the State Government of Kedah to register Terusan Wan Mat Saman (Wan Mat Saman Canal) as Heritage Object under the National Heritage Act. The outcome of the application is still pending at the State level.