In 1982 during the centenary of the town's establishment, the name was changed again to Teluk Intan (Diamond Bay) by the Sultan of Perak.

There has been speculation that the river's flow will erode the narrow neck of land in between the loops of the meander effectively turning Teluk Intan into an island.

Upon fleeing the Portuguese conquest of Malacca in 1511, a new kingdom was established on the banks of the Perak River near what is now Teluk Intan, and the court remained there until its relocation to Kuala Kangsar in the northern part of the state later in the 19th century.

The town of Teluk Intan developed around a few small villages in the location, such as Durian Sebatang, Pasir Bedamar, and Batak Rabit.

The fourth railway track in Malaya was built connecting Tapah and Teluk Intan, showing the port town's importance during the British protectorate age.

Teluk Intan was also home to the meeting between Raja Abdullah, Dato' Maharajalela and other Malay chieftains who plotted to kill J. W. W. Birch, the first British Resident of Perak.

Teluk Intan served as the major administrative and business settlement for smaller neighbouring towns such as Tapah, Bidor, Bagan Datuk and Hutan Melintang.

Until the mid-1990s Sabak Bernam, a town in the neighbouring state of Selangor, also dependeded on Teluk Intan for most of their basic services.

As the Perak River became shallower each year due to upstream erosion and silt deposition near Teluk Intan, the town lost its two most important roles in Perak's economy which was being an export harbour for tin and rubber and as a petroleum distribution centre for Shell Malaysia.

By the end of the 1980s, Shell Malaysia transferred their petroleum storing facilities to the coastal town of Lumut in Manjung, located 60 km from Teluk Intan.

This situation forced the younger generation to migrate to bigger cities such as Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Klang and Shah Alam in search of better jobs.

Ironically this caused the town to suffer a shortage in labour supply especially in the agriculture sector, resulting in an increase of migrant workers from Indonesia and Bangladesh.

With the development of a new town centre along with the completion of new coastal highway from Klang to Sabak Bernam in late 1999, Teluk Intan began to enjoy a resurgence in its economic activity.

As it is the major town in Hilir Perak, Teluk Intan's shopping centres attract shoppers from nearby smaller townships and the surrounding area.

GPS Coordinates: 4°1.544′N, 101°1.133′E Another attraction is the 'Batu Tenggek' (Sitting Boulder) which is situated at a junction in the town centre.

There is a local legend that the rock was placed there by a British soldier, and was originally the size of a matchbox but grew bigger over the years however this is not the truth.

[10] Carved on the dressed stone is a line taken from Laurence Binyon's famous poem, "For the Fallen": This palace was once the official residence of The Raja Muda of Perak.

Hock Soon Temple was the centrepoint of all Hokkien Chinese in Teluk Intan during the British colonial era.

The temple was built with Southern Chinese architecture, the most notable feature being the elaborately decorated upturned eaves.

There is also a century old mosque just opposite the temple, which is frequently mentioned as a typical depiction of religious harmony in Malaysia.

Financial support was provided by the Nattukottai Chettiars (also known as the Nagarathars), a prominent mercantile community with origins in Tamil Nadu, India.

The temple is managed by the Nagarathars of seven towns including Teluk Intan, Tapah, Kampar, Bidor, Sitiawan, Pantai Remis and Lumut.

The day-to-day management of the temple is entrusted to three Nagarathar families, who hold office in 57, 59 and 61, Jalan Bandar.

There is also a food court (locals call it "Bumbung Biru") in front of Menara Jam Condong "The Leaning Tower".