Information
of Kuala Lumper
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 Kuala
Lumpur is the capital and the largest city of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur
is one of the three Malaysian Federal Territories. It is an enclave
within the state of Selangor, on the central west coast of Peninsular
Malaysia. Within Malaysia, the city is commonly referred to as KL.The
city previously hosted the Malaysian judiciary and executive arms.
With the completion of Putrajaya in the late 1990s, both arms have
since migrated to Putrajaya, though sections of the judicial branch
still remain in Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian Parliament still operates
in the city, and thus the city remains the legislative capital of
the country.
History
uala Lumpur had its origins in the 1850s,
when the Malay Chief of Klang sent Chinese upriver from China to
open new and larger tin mines where Kuala Lumpur previously is rich
in tins. They landed at the confluence of Sungai Gombak (previously
Sg. Lumpur, which means Muddy River) and Sungai Klang (Klang River)
and established mines at Ampang. Later, tin mines were opened at
Pudu and Batu.
This trading post was a wild frontier town plagued by floods, fires,
disease and the Selangor Civil War (1870-73). During this time,
Kapitan Cina Yap Ah Loy emerged as a leader, responsible for the
survival and growth of the town. In 1880 in view of its strategic
location, the Selangor state capital was moved from Klang to Kuala
Lumpur. Nothing of this earlier period remains as all structures
were of wood and atap (thatch) which were destroyed in the fire
and subsequent flood of 1881.
Thereafter, Frank Swettenham, the British Resident of Selangor
who was instrumental in the development of the town, required that
buildings be constructed of brick and tile. The advent of the railway
increased accessibility. The development of buildings intensified
in the 1890s so that it warranted the establishment of a Sanitary
Board. In 1896, Kuala Lumpur was chosen as the capital of the newly
formed Federated Malay States.
The multiracial
community of this period settled in various sections of town. Market
Square, east of Sungai Klang, became the commercial centre for the
whole town. The Chinese congregated around this Square and south
into Chinatown. To the north, across Java Street (now Jalan Tun
Perak). were the Malays. Nearby, a number of Indian Chettiars (money-lenders),
and in later years Indian Muslim traders, set up business. West
of the river, the Padang (now Merdeka Square) was the focal point
of the British administration.
Kuala Lumpur continued to grow despite two World Wars, the rubber
and tin commodity crash and the State of Emergency (1948-60) during
which Malaya was preoccupied with the Communist insurgency. In 1957,
the Federation of Malaya gained its independence from Britishrule.
Kuala Lumpur remained the capital through the formation of Malaysia,
achieving city status in 1972, and was established as the Federal
Territory in 1974.
Geography
Kuala Lumpur is located at the confluence
of Klang and Gombak River. Mostly surrounded by forests and hills,
it is the only city in the world to have a million-year-old primary
forest within the heart of the city. There is no sea surrounding
Kuala Lumpur.
Climate
Kuala Lumpur enjoys year round equatorial climate which is warm
and sunny, along with plentiful rainfall, especially during the
southwest monsoon from April to September. Due to the close proximity
of Kuala Lumpur to the Sumatra Island, dust particles are carried
by wind from frequent forest fires, creating a phenomenon known
as the haze. This usually lasts for 1 to 2 weeks.
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