Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, Jawi:كوالا لمڤور Tamil: கோலாலம்பூர் Chinese: 吉隆坡, (Malaysian state code : KL), (transport code : W), is the capital city of Malaysia and it is also the largest city in the country. Within Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is almost always abbreviated to KL.

Kuala Lumpur is one of the three Malaysian Federal Territories, and an enclave within the state of Selangor, on the central west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Although the executive branch of the Malaysian Government has moved to a new administrative capital, Putrajaya, the residence of the King of Malaysia, the Parliament of Malaysia, and the judicial branch remain in Kuala Lumpur.

History

Pre-Independence Era (1857-1957)

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The junction of the Gombak and Klang rivers, from which Kuala Lumpur takes its name

Kuala Lumpur was founded in 1857 at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers. In Malay, the name literally means "muddy confluence". The settlement started when a member of the Selangor royal family, Raja Abdullah, opened up the Klang Valley for tin prospectors. 87 Chinese prospectors went up the river Klang and began prospecting in the Ampang area, which was then jungle. Despite 69 of them dying due to the pestilential conditions, a thriving tin mine was established. This naturally attracted merchants who traded basic provisions to the miners in return for some of the tin. The traders set up shop at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers. Thus was a city born.

As the town grew, the British, who ruled Malaya at the time, felt the need to appoint a headman (Kapitan Cina, or Captain of the Chinese) to administer the settlement and ensure law and order. The first Kapitan Cina was Hiu Siew. It was the third Kapitan Cina, Yap Ah Loy, who oversaw the rise of Kuala Lumpur from a sleepy little mining town to become the foremost city of Selangor. In the early years, Kuala Lumpur was the centre of the Selangor Civil War, in which two conflicts could be discerned; a fight between Selangor princes over the revenue of tin mines, and the other one a vendetta between Kapitan Yap and Chong Chong, who wanted the Kapitanship. Kapitan Yap and his backer, Tengku Kudin, were successful and it was from then, thanks to Kapitan Yap's able leadership, that Kuala Lumpur became Selangor's biggest city. He rebuilt Kuala Lumpur, which was devastated by the Civil War and repopulated it with Chinese miners from elsewhere in Selangor. He also encouraged Malay farmers to settle near Kuala Lumpur in order to have a steady and accessible source of food.

Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) in central Kuala Lumpur, where the independence of Malaya was declared in 1957

It was made capital of Selangor in 1880 due to Kapitan Yap's success. He gave Kuala Lumpur a system of frontier justice which effectively maintained law and order, and ensured that Kuala Lumpur became the centre of commerce in Selangor. After Kuala Lumpur burnt down in 1881, Kapitan Yap decided to rebuild Kuala Lumpur in brick and tile to replace the dangerous attap houses. He set up Kuala Lumpur's first school and a shelter for the homeless. Yap's Kuala Lumpur was very much a rough frontier town as Yap himself was a member of the Hai San triad and gang warfare was common. Kapitan Yap licensed brothels, casinos and drinking saloons. Sir Frank Swettenham was at this time appointed Resident of Selangor and he was the person responsible for making Kuala Lumpur the seat of administration of Selangor. It was under his rule that after Kapitan Yap's death the city continued to prosper. When the Federated Malay States were incorporated with Swettenham in charge in 1896, Kuala Lumpur was made the capital.

During World War II Japanese forces captured Kuala Lumpur on January 11, 1942 and occupied the city for 44 months.

Post-Independence Era (1957-1990)

After independence in 1957, Kuala Lumpur was the capital of the Federation of Malaya and continued to be the capital of the renamed Federation of Malaysia in 1963. For the occasion of independence, A large stadium, Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium), was built, where Malaysia's first prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, declared Malaya's independence in front of a massive crowd. The Union Flag was lowered from the flagpole at Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) and the Malayan flag was raised. The site symbolized British sovereignty as it was a cricket ground for the colonial administrators and fronted the Royal Selangor Club, Malaya's most exclusive whites-only club.

In 1974 Kuala Lumpur seceded from Selangor and the city became a Federal Territory (Wilayah Persekutuan).

Contemporary Era (1990-Present)

Kuala Lumpur advanced by leaps and bounds ever since the Asian Economic Boom of the early 1990s (when economic growth was averaging at 10%). Skyscrapers have shot up and Kuala Lumpur, formerly a languid colonial outpost, has become one of the most lively, advanced and vibrant cities in South East Asia. Unfortunately the infrastructure has barely been able to keep up with this rapid growth, even though a new rapid transit system was built in the 1990s. Traffic jams are a scourge commuters endure daily, despite the numerous 6-lane highways constructed all over the city (including two elevated highways). Bus services are notoriously irregular and inadequate and water quality has suffered severely.

Most of central KL has grown without any central planning whatsoever, so the streets in the older parts of town are extremely narrow, winding and congested. The architecture in this section is a unique colonial type, a hybrid of European and Chinese forms.

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Modern-day Kuala Lumpur seen from Menara Kuala Lumpur

The stretch of road facing Dataran Merdeka is perhaps the most famous road in Kuala Lumpur. The Sultan Abdul Samad building with its signature copper domes and Moorish architecture stands here, as does one of the tallest flagpoles in the world, which stands in the Dataran Merdeka itself. Up until 2004, the superior courts of the federation (the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court) were housed in the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, since then the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court have moved to the Palace of Justice in Putrajay. The Dayabumi building is visible, being down the road. This area used to be the focal point of Malaysia's Independence Day parade, which was televised all over Malaysia. In 2003 however, the parade was moved to the boulevard in Putrajaya, keeping with Putrajaya's status as the new administrative capital of Malaysia. Interestingly, the white Police Headquarters located atop Bukit Aman (literally "Peace Hill") also faces the Dataran.

The rest of the city has mostly developed in the standard way, with the standard skyscraper format. Aware of this, architects have been urged to incorporate traditional design elements into their work. Notable examples of this fusion are the Dayabumi building, Kuala Lumpur's first skyscraper, the Tabung Haji Building and Menara Telekom, both designed by local architect Hijjas Kasturi, and of course, the Petronas Twin Towers.

Transportation

Air

Kuala Lumpur is directly connected to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang via the KLIA Ekspres high-speed train service. The former international airport, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang is now used for chartered flights.

Public transportation

Taxis

Metered taxis can be hailed throughout the city. However, traffic jams, especially during rush hour are fairly common in KL and it might be difficult to get a taxi during rush hour.

Buses

Kuala Lumpur's bus system provide transit services for the lower income group. However, bus services can be unpredictable. There are several bus companies servicing different routes. The biggest bus operator is Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (Rapid KL). Other operators include Metrobus, Selangor Omnibus, Len Seng Omnibus and Triton.

There is no common ticket accepted by all operators. Fares are usually collected on a per trip basis either by dropping coins into a till when entering a bus, or paid to a conductor.

Rail

Kuala Lumpur's rail-based transit system consists of three light rail transit (LRT) lines, one monorail, one commuter rail system consisting two lines, and two high-speed airport rail links.

The three lines used by the LRT are Ampang Line, Kelana Jaya Line and Sri Petaling Line.
The two commuter rail lines, known as KTM Komuter are the Sentul-Port Klang Line and the Rawang-Seremban Line.
The sole monorail line is known as the Kuala Lumpur Monorail.
The high speed KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit lines connect Kuala Lumpur to the international airport.

Different companies operate the various systems and developed them separately at different times. As a result, many of the lines do not integrate well, making transferring from system to system inconvenient for passengers. Moving from one system to another often require a lot of walking, stair-climbing, escalator-use and even crossing busy roads.

There is also no common ticket for all systems, forcing transferring commuters to buy new tickets when transferring. However, the LRT, monorail, and commuter rail systems now accept the Touch 'n Go stored value farecard, easing the hassle.

Transit hubs

The main transit hubs in Kuala Lumpur are:

Puduraya — a major intercity bus terminal located in the city centre
Putra Bus Terminal — serving buses heading to the East Coast destinations
Pasar Rakyat — a new bus terminal to take away some of Puduraya's load
Duta Bus Terminal — for buses operated by Transnasional and Airport Coach (bus services to KLIA)
KL Sentral — a modern rail transport hub for all KTM intercity trains, KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit

Puduraya, Putra Bus Terminal and KL Sentral are served by rail-based public transport while the rest are served by buses and taxis.

Places of interest

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Kuala Lumpur's landmark, the Petronas Twin Towers

There are popular tourist locations in and around Kuala Lumpur.

Within Kuala Lumpur

The Golden Triangle, the commercial hub of the city, contains the famed Petronas Twin Towers and has a hectic nightlife.
The Petronas Twin Towers are the world's tallest twin towers and second and third-tallest singular towers, standing adjacent to one of the busiest shopping malls in Malaysia, Suria KLCC.
The Menara Kuala Lumpur, the fifth tallest telecommunication tower, is located on Bukit Nanas.
Lake Gardens, a 920,000 square metre manicured garden near the Malaysian Parliament building, was once home to a British colonial official. They include a Butterfly Park, Deer Park, Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden and South-East Asia's largest Bird Park.
The sports Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium), was initially erected for the country's declaration of independence on August 31, 1957.
Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square), was the site of the lowering of the Union Jack flag and hoisting of the Malayan flag on the start of August 31, 1957. The square itself has historic association with its surroundings, namely the Royal Selangor Club and the architecturally Victorian-Moorish or 'Raj' influenced Sultan Abdul Samad Building.
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, a Victorian-Moorish railway station, was completed in 1911, and surpassed by KL Sentral in 2001; it currently serves commuter trains only.
The Muzium Negara (National Museum) incorporates neo traditionalism into its architectural design.
The Masjid Negara (National Mosque), a post modernist mosque, was completed in 1965.
The Tugu Negara (National Monument) commemorates those who died in Malaysia's struggles for freedom (principally against the Japanese occupation and during the Malayan Emergency of 1946-60).
The Istana Negara, official residence of Their Majesties the King and Queen.
Many of the largest celebrations of Chinese cultural festivals are held at the Thean Hou Temple on Robson Hill.
The Chinese Night Market area (Chinatown), Petaling Street, has recently undergone a makeover; the most notable feature is the new covered walkway.
Cheap hawker food on the street is sold at Jalan Alor.
Mid Valley Megamall, the largest shopping mall at the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur (To be more specific: Bangsar).
Berjaya Times Square, the largest shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur.

Around the Kuala Lumpur area

The Batu Caves are a series of tall limestone caves, home to a Hindu temple, that lie 13 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur. This is a beautiful temple situated in a cave on the top of a very high hill. Every year, a festival is held here where devout Hindus impale themselves with sharp rods and carry idols up this hill. These caves are within an hour drive from downtown Kuala Lumpur, and are worth a visit by tourists. On the other side of Batu Caves (the other side of Batu Caves temple), lies few climbing spots for rock climbers [1].
About 40 kilometres west of Kuala Lumpur is the city of Shah Alam, site of a famous masjid (mosque) and 10 kilometres away from Shah Alam is the town of Klang famous for its seafood and Bah Kut Teh (Pork rib soup).
Genting Highlands is a hill top resort near Kuala Lumpur, famous for its casino, and Theme Parks. This is visible from Kuala Lumpur downtown on a clear day and as well on most nights.
Putrajaya, new administration centre. This is a modern futuristic looking township that houses all government ministries. The administritive buildings have been built on either side of a long road - in a manner stated to be modeled after the National Mall in Washington DC. At one end of this driveway is the Prime Minister's office and at the other end is a national conference center.
Sepang International Circuit is a Formula 1 circuit located in the outskirts of the city.

External links

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Kuala Lumpur

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