KLANG

''This is the royal town of Klang in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. For the river of similar name, see Klang River. For a valley of similar name, see Klang Valley.''

'Klang' (or 'Kelang') is the royal capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia within a district of similar name. It is located about 32 km to the west of Kuala Lumpur and 6 km east of Port Klang. It was the civil capital of Selangor in an earlier era before the emergence of Kuala Lumpur and the current capital, Shah Alam. Port Klang is one of the world's busiest seaports.

Contents

History

Origin of the name

Districts

Politics

Famous local cuisine

List of hotels in Klang

List of shopping complexes/hypermarkets in Klang

List of hospitals in Klang

Miscellaneous

External links

History

The royal town of Klang has been a site of human settlement since prehistoric times. Bronze Age drums and other artifacts have been found within the town itself and within the vicinity. Commanding the approaches to the tin rich Klang Valley, Klang has always been of key strategic importance.
The celebrated Tun Perak, the Malacca Sultanate's greatest Bendahara, came from Klang and became its territorial chief. After the fall of Melaka to the Portuguese in 1511, Klang remained in Malay hands, controlled by the Sultan Johor-Riau until the creation of Selangor sultanate in the 18th century.
In the 19th century the importance of Klang greatly increased by the rapid expansion of tin mining as a result of the increased demand for tin from the West. The desire to control the Klang Valley led directly to the Selangor Civil War (sometimes called the Klang War) of 1867-1874 when Raja Mahdi fought to regain what he considered his birthright as territorial chief against Raja Abdullah. He failed and the end result was British intervention and control.
After 1874, the British soon selected Klang over Jugra as the centre of their administration, which it remained until 1880 when they transferred it to the mining centre of Kuala Lumpur.
Klang did not lose its importance, however. Until the construction of Port Swettenham (Port Klang) in 1901, the royal town remained the chief outlet for Selangor's tin, and its position was enhanced by the completion of the Klang Valley railway (to Bukit Kuda) in 1886. In the 1890s its growth was further stimulated by the development of the district into the State' leading producer of coffee, and then rubber.
In 1901 it became the official seat of Sultan Sulaiman (Sultan Alauddin Sulaiman Shah). Today Klang is no longer State capital or the main seat of the Ruler, but it remains the headquarters of the District to which it gives it name.
Klang's modern history timelines:

★ 1945 - Klang Town Authority formed.

★ 1954 - Klang Town Council formed (27.5 km²)

★ 1971 - Klang District Council formed, including areas surrounding Kapar and Meru towns.

★ 1974 - 1977 - capital of Selangor when Kuala Lumpur became a Federal Territory and before Shah Alam was made the capital of Selangor.

★ 1977 - Klang Municipal Council formed (60.9 km²)

Origin of the name

Klang may have taken its name from the Klang River which runs through the town. The entire geographical area in the immediate vicinity of the river, which begins at Kuala Lumpur and runs west all the way to Port Klang, is known as the Klang Valley.
Popular theories on the origin of the name are that it was derived from the Mon-Khmer word ''Klong'' or from Malay word ''Kilang'' meaning warehouses, given that it was full of warehouses in the old days.

Districts

Until recently, the two parts of Klang divided by the Klang River were referred to as Klang North or Klang South. Generally, Klang North is more commercial while more residential areas and government offices are located in Klang South. Hence, Klang South tends to be busier and becomes center of social activity after working hours. This was altered by the rapid growth of "Little India."

Politics

Klang proper encompasses three parliamentary seats: Kapar (Y.B. Pn. Komala Devi-MIC), Kota Raja (Y.B. Tn. Vigneswaran-MIC), and Klang (Y.B. Datin Paduka Tan Yee Kew-MCA). All three are held by the ruling coalition, the National Front or Barisan Nasional, as of 2005. These constituencies are subdivided into state seats, called DUNs.
In October 2006, the press highlighted a couple of issues that brought the Klang Municipal Council into spotlight. Zakaria Deros, his son Zainuri and daughter-in-law Roselinda Abdul Jamil were expected to be sworn in as councilors. Enormous public outcry regarding having three councilors from the same family led to the swearing-in ceremony being postponed by the Sultan.
It was also reported that Zakaria (also a BN - UMNO state assemblyman for the DUN of Pelabuhan Klang (N46)) and Mazlynoor Abdul Latiff, another councilor had built palatial mansions without approval from the council in defiance of the Town and Country Planning Act 1974.^[1]

Famous local cuisine

Klang is well known for its "Bak Kut Teh" (''Chinese'': 肉骨茶, ''Pinyin'': Ròu Gŭ Chá), a herbal soup that uses pork ribs and tenderloins. A kind of virus struck pigs in the late the 90's that affected pig farmers nationwide led to the creation of ''Chick Kut Teh'', that uses chicken instead and similar herbal constituents as Bak Kut Teh.
Klang is also famous for its banana leaf rice. It is also well-known for its seafood at Teluk Gong.
Besides that, Klang is also famous for its "Rojak Klang". The most popular Rojak Klang stall in Klang is ''Rojak Klang Gani'' located at the Emporium Makan. This stall has been in operations for more than 30 years and still running.
Another famous delicacy is the "Cendol". Presently, the owner, Munusamy, of "Cendol Klang" store, located at the heart of Klang town centre, has come a long way to where it is today. Before the store came about, the sole-proprietor sold cendols along Jalan Nanas on his mobile-store attached to his motorcycle and had been so since 1972. Cendol was gaining popularity over time in the 90's and it was not until circa 2000 that the sole-proprietor moved into a store at the very same place where he had been selling. Rumors had it that he had gathered enough finances to support two of his children to study law in England, which would be seen as an enormous achievement for a person like Munusamy who started with nothing much 30 over years ago.
Other famous local delicacies are "Lontong Klang", "Mee Bandung" and "Mee Jawa", which is similar to 'Mee Rebus' in Johor. There are a number of restaurants/stalls selling Mee Jawa. One of the famous (and delicious) Mee Jawa is also located at food court at Emporium Makan (next to Rojak Klang Gani). It also sells Rojak Klang as an alternative to Rojak Gani.

List of hotels in Klang

★ Klang Histana Hotel

List of shopping complexes/hypermarkets in Klang

★ Klang Parade

★ Shaw Centrepoint

★ Klang City Square

★ Bukit Raja Shopping Centre

★ Centro

★ Giant

★ Tesco

★ Carrefour

★ Intania Shopping Centre (Currently under construction)

★ ÆON Bukit Tinggi Shopping Centre

★ Klang Mid Valley (Currently under construction, located adjacent to Klang City Square and Shaw Centrepoint)

★ Harbour Place (Currently under construction)

List of hospitals in Klang

★ Hospital Besar Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, also known as Klang General Hospital

★ Pantai Klang Specialist Hospital

★ Klinik Damo & Pusat Bersalin

★ Arunamari Hospital

★ Sentosa Medical Centre (now known as Puteri Klang Medical Centre)

★ Sri Kota Medical Centre, Klang

★ Hospital Bersalin Metro Maternity

Miscellaneous

There is a plan of building the Little India 2 in Klang. It will be located at Jalan Raya Barat, Klang. Jalan Raya Barat is a fast growing centre in Klang featuring new shophouses. These new shophouses and Little India 2 are expected to be fully completed by 2008.

External links

★ Klang Municipal Council website

★ KlangWeb.com

★ Klang Community eSpace Forum

★ Collection of Klang maps

★ ODP's Klang category

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