Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka)

View at night

Literally Independence Square, it was formerly known as the Selangor Club Padang or simply the "Padang" and was originally the cricket green of the Selangor Club (now Royal Selangor Club).

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building, which grandly overlooks the Merdeka Square, is one of the most significant landmarks built by the British. Designed by A. C. Norman who was inspired by Indian Moghul architecture, this building was completed in 1897 and housed the Selangor State Secretariat and later the Supreme Court before being abandoned for a number of years. It now houses the Ministry of Heritage, Culture and Arts.

The field at the Merdeka Square's immediate vicinity was officially renamed 'Dataran Merdeka' on 1 January 1990 in conjunction of Visit Malaysia Year 1990. Merdeka Square was the starting line of The Amazing Race Asia 1.

On August 31, 2007, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi shouted 'Merdeka!' on midnight celebrations, where thousands of Malaysians celebrated 50 years of nationhood.

It is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is situated in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. It was here the Union Flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted for the first time at midnight (time: 12:00 AM) on August 31, 1957. Since then, Merdeka Square has been the usual venue for the annual Merdeka Parade (National Day Parade).

Wide green field

Surrounding the square are many buildings of historical interest. Just beside the square is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building currently the office of the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture of Malaysia.


Opposite the square is the famous Royal Selangor Club Complex built in 1884 as a meeting place for high-ranking members of the British colonial society. To the South is the former National History Museum which used to house a vast collection of historical items. The collection has recently been moved to Muzium Negara. To the North is the St. Mary's Anglican Cathedral, currently the Diocese of West Malaysia and the see of the Bishop of West Malaysia.

A 95-meter flagpole, one of the tallest in the world, marks that spot with a flat, round black marble plaque. It is located at the southern end of the square. Nearby is also the original Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, which is still operational. However the main hub has recently been moved to KL Sentral in 2001.


Reference: http://www.malaysiasite.nl/merdekaeng.htm

National Museum (Muzium Negara)

Front view of National Museum

Muzium Negara was established on the site of the former Selangor Museum. It was built by the British and Selangor governments in 1898 following the formation of the Federated Malay States in 1896. On March 10, 1945, during the end of World War II, the right wing of the museum was bombed and destroyed by the US B-29 bomber, from the Allied Forces.

Inside view

After World War II, the left wing of Selangor Museum was still in use as a historical site. After the Federation of Malaya achieved its independence on August 31, 1957, the federal government decided to build the national museum at the old site of Selangor Museum. Construction began in 1959 and was complete in 1963. Muzium Negara was officially opened on August 31, 1963.


National Museum of Malaysia is located on Jalan Damansara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The museum is situated in close proximity to the Perdana Lake Gardens and it provides an overview of Malaysian history and culture. Muzium Negara is a palatial structure built in the style of Rumah Gadang, an aspect of Minangkabau architecture. Its facade comprises elements of traditional Malay and modern features. Muzium Negara was opened on 31 August 1963, and it serves as a repository of Malaysia’s rich cultural and historical heritage.

One of the sections in National Museum

Muzium Negara is a three storied structure of 109.7 meters long and 15.1 meters wide and 37.6 meters at the central point. The museum houses four main galleries allotted to ethnology and natural history. The displays range from free-standing tableaux showing cultural events like weddings, festivals and costumes; to traditional weapons, musical instruments, arts and crafts, ceramics, and flora and fauna.

Reference: http://www.muziumnegara.gov.my/

National Monument (Tugu Negara)

National Monument in KL

The National Monument (Tugu Negara) is made in remembrance of the fallen ‘soldiers’ during the fight for freedom to independence in Malaysia. It represents the fallen soldiers during the 2nd World War, when Japan occupied this part of Southeastern Asia (next to that also the repelling of communism is often mentioned).

National Monument Main Square

The monument is one of the largest bronze statues in the world, it is 15,5 meters of height, built in 1966 and designed by architect Felix de Weldon (has designed amongst others the famous Iwo Jima monument). The statue represents the general freedom in Malaysia; the national anthem (anthem of freedom) is typically associated with this. The statue consists of 7 soldiers carrying the Malaysian flag. Each of the warriors represents one of the seven qualities of leadership: command, unity, strength, wariness, suffering, courage and sacrifice.

2nd Monument

You can also find the monument on the old 1RM notes. Upon arrival at this place, you cannot instantly see the bronze soldiers. You first walk across a beautiful wide stairway up the hill, after which you walk through the first part of the monument (here descriptions and other information about the monument itself and the history of the monument can be found). Only after that you find yourself before the fallen soldiers. It looks beautiful.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Monument_(Malaysia)

Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)

KLCC at night

Built on 1 January 1992 until 31 December 1994, the Petronas Twin Towers was the tallest building in the world from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2004. Currently, it still holds the record for the tallest twin buildings in the world. It is the headquarters of Petronas, a Fortune 100 state owned oil company and also the largest company in South East Asia.

The towers and the mall below it was designed by Argentinian born architect César Pelli. Construction started in 1991 and completed 7 years after, in midst of Asian Financial Crisis and Reformasi movement. Due to the soil conditions on the tower, the buildings were built on one of the deepest foundations in the world.

The 88-storey towers were built using mostly reinforced concrete, with steel-and-glass facade to resemble Islamic motifs, a religion followed by the majority of Malaysia. The cross section of the tower resembles Rub el Hizb, further solidifies the Islamic motif in the tower design.

KLCC Park

Designed to be a city within a city, the 100-acre site hosts the tallest twin buildings in the world, shopping mall, hotels, office buildings and several hotels. A public park and a mosque is also built on the area and open to everyone. The whole project is cooled via district cooling located on the property.

The KLCC area has a 1,300,000-square-foot (120,000 m2) convention center known as the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. The total function area is around 216,000 square feet (20,100 m2). The convention center is directly connected with Traders Hotel. Impiana Hotel, in which own and operated by KLCC Properties, developer of the KLCC area, is connected via a walk bridge. In the master plan, there will be several more buildings to be built near or on convention center area.

Aquaria, KLCC

Aquaria KLCC, located in KLCC, adjacent to the PETRONAS Twin Towers, Aquaria KLCC is a world-class aquarium that showcases animals & marine life from  Malaysia and around the world. Aquaria KLCC was initiated, developed and wholly-owned by Aquawalk Sdn Bhd, an MSC Status company incorporated in the year 2002.



Aquaria KLCC will take you on a journey of discovery that will simply take your breath away. Learn more about marine fauna found in Malaysia and the region, while taking advantage of our experienced guides as they share with you about how they interact in their natural habitats



Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur_City_Centre

KL Tower | Menara Kuala Lumpur

KL Tower; standing proud

The starting point of Kuala Lumpur Tower is when it was officially groundbreaking by the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia's, Tun Doktor Mahathir Bin Mohamad on 1 October 1991 and there was a 3-phase process altogether.

The first phase was the widening of Jalan Bukit Nanas and the excavation of soil from the construction site. This phase was completed on 1 August 1992.

The second phase began on 1 July 1992 with the construction of the foundation and basement of the tower. Approximately 50,000-cubic meters of concrete were continuously poured for 31-hours, thus setting a record in the Malaysian construction industry. The foundation work, requiring no piling, was completed on 1 April 1993.

The third phase was the construction of the 'superstructure' which began on 1 May 1994. The tedious construction of the tower started with the erection of the tower shaft, then the tower head. As the finishing touches to the tower head were applied, the construction of the touristic building began. The construction was completed in record time.

The touristic building is adorned with designs that reflect the Malaysian Islamic culture. The main lobby of the upper ground floor is decorated with exquisite glass-clad domes that sparkle like giant diamonds. These domes were designed and arranged in the form of the Muqarnas by Iranian craftsmen from Isfahan.

Furthermore on the journey, Menara Kuala Lumpur was officially launched for broadcasting by the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia's Tun Doktor Mahathir Bin Mohamad on 1 September 1994 as performed the 'topping-up ceremony' where the antenna mast was installed, thus marking the final height of the tower, 421-metres above the ground. Lastly installation of the facilities and amenities was executed to ensure comfort and safety.

The Kuala Lumpur Tower in Malay: Menara Kuala Lumpur; abbreviated as KL Tower is a well-known tall tower located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in continuous present. Its construction was completed on 1 March 1995. It is used for communication purposes and features an antenna that reaches 421-metre (1,381-foot). The roof of the pod is at 335-metre (1,099-foot). The rest of the tower below has a stairwell and an elevator to reach the upper area, which also contains a revolving restaurant, providing diners with a panoramic view of the city.

KL Tower & KLCC

Races are held annually, where participants race up the stairs to the top. The tower also acts as the Islamic falak observatory to observe the crescent moon which marks the beginning of Muslim month of Ramadhan, Syawal, and Zulhijjah, to celebrate fasting month of Ramadhan, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Aidiladha. The tower is the highest viewpoint in Kuala Lumpur that is open to the public. The building is the landmark of Kuala Lumpur with arch-rival Petronas Towers.

Menara Kuala Lumpur was officially inaugurated by the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia's Tun Doktor Mahathir Bin Mohamad on 1 October 1996 at 20:30 MST. Among the distinguished guests to the kuala Lumpur Tower were the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Tuanku Jaafar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Najihah, the wives of the Sultan of Brunei, DYMM Paduka Seri Baginda Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha and DYTM Pengiran Isteri Hajah Mariam.

Reference: http://www.kltower.com.my/Index.html

Kuala Lumpur - Present

Places of interests around Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is situated midway along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, at the confluence of the Klang and Gombek rivers. It is approximately 35 km from the coast and sits at the centre of the Peninsula's extensive and modern transportation network. Kuala Lumpur is easily the largest city in the nation, possessing a population of over one and a half million people drawn from all of Malaysia's many ethnic groups.

More than any other spot in the country, Kuala Lumpur, or "KL" as it is commonly known, is the focal point of new Malaysia. While the city's past is still present in the evocative British colonial buildings of the Dataran Merdeka and the midnight lamps of the Petaling Street nightmarket, that past is everywhere met with insistent reminders of KL's present and future.

The city's bustling streets, its shining, modern office towers, and its cosmopolitan air project an unbounded spirit of progress and symbolize Malaysia's unhesitating leap into the future. To some, this spirit seems to have been gained at the loss of ancient cultural traditions, but in many ways KL marks the continuation rather than the loss of Malaysia's rich past. Like Malacca five hundred years before, KL's commercial centre is a grand meeting place for merchants and travelers from all over the world.

Spectacular view of Kuala Lumpur in the morning

In the same way, the city brings together Malaysia's past and present, its many constituent cultures, and even its remarkable natural treasures, allowing first-time visitors an invaluable opportunity to see Malaysia as a whole before setting off to explore its parts. In the botanical and bird parks of the Lake Gardens one is treated to a first glimpse of the unsurpassed beauty and variety of Malaysia's plants and animals.

In the vibrant Central Market, music, crafts, and cultural practices from Kelantan to Sarawak can be explored and experienced. And in the National Museum, the dizzying multiplicity of Malaysia's cultural history comes into focus. As the entry point for most visitors and the meeting point of the country's many attractions, Kuala Lumpur is a grand gateway to a fascinating destination.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur

History of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur 1884

150 years ago, Kuala Lumpur’s history began when tin miners came to explore the banks of muddy confluence between the Gombak and Klang rivers. From these humble beginnings – predestined to be marred by bloody wars and feuds, natural disasters and makeovers - Kuala Lumpur has endured to become one of Asia’s leading cities.

In 1857, Raja Abdullah, a member of the Selangor Royal Family started opening up parts of the Klang Valley to tin prospectors. With the rise of the tin extraction industry, prospectors started pouring in to a new settlement on the banks of a “muddy confluence” between the Gombak and Klang rivers – creating the early foundation of the city (the city’s name comes from the word Kuala meaning – ‘junction’ or ‘estuary’ and Lumpur means – ‘muddy’).

Kapitan Yap Ah Loy

As the new town kept growing, the fragile peace between many of the interested parties did not last. A bitter rivalry between the triads and civil war between the Selangor princess erupted over the tin, leading to bloody feuds and wars. When Kapitan Yap Ah Loy, the third leader of the Chinese community was appointed by British, peace was again restored and under his competent leadership the sleepy mining town boomed into a commercial trading hub of every high importance.

In 1880, Kuala Lumpur was made the capital of Selangor due to large part to Kapitan Yap Ah Loy’s success and efficiency in maintaining the peace and a system of law and order. During another furious feud – Kuala Lumpur was burnt down and Kapitan Yap decided this time to rebuild the town using bricks and tiles, replacing the older dangerous atap or wooden houses. Also at this time Sir Frank Swettenham was appointed the Resident – General of Selangor.

Sir Frank Swettenham

After Kapitan Yap’s death in 1885, Sir Frank Swettenham oversaw the growth of Kuala Lumpur as the town continued to prosper. With the completion of the first railway connecting the town to Port Klang in 1886, Kuala Lumpur’s growth was further boosted.

In 1896 the Federated Malay Sates (FMS) which at the time only consisted of four states was incorporated and with Swettenham as the Resident-General, Kuala Lumpur was chosen to be the capital and the town continued to evolve becoming the classic epitome of British colonialism, with sharply uniformed white officers administrating the FMS Unsurprisingly with the oppression of British imperialism, local nationalists were burning with their own dreams of independence.

At the stroke of midnight on 31August 1957, amidst tens of thousands of people, the British Union Jack – which had stood waving in front of the Selangor Club, was finally lowered on Malaysian soil for the last time and Malaysia’s independence was ushered in Malaysia’s independence was declared by the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, in Stadium Merdeka, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With the nation’s newfound independence, Kuala Lumpur began moving towards greatest transformation But, once again, as in the troubled past things came to halt when violent and bloody civil unrest exploded across the city as a result of racial tensions. The unrest sparked a state of emergency which continued for the next two years. These tensions finally subsided again after negotiations were made to bring the nation’s people together as one.

Eventually, Kuala Lumpur was conferred city status on February 1st 1972 and in 1974 Kuala Lumpur was declared a Federal Territory. During the last few decades, Kuala Lumpur has been witness to incredible social and economic growth – with significant increases to the population and major development throughout the city. Today, Kuala Lumpur‘s progress is perhaps best measured by the PETRONAS Twin Towers – one of the world’s tallest buildings standing admirably among the Kuala Lumpur skyline.


Reference: http://www.2malaysia.com/kualalumpur/history.htm