From obscurity to prosperity

A recent visit to the capital piques interest to learn more about one of Selangor’s greatest rulers, Sultan Abdul Samad

SULTAN Abdul Samad Ibni Al-Marhum Raja Abdullah’s reign marked many milestones in the history of Selangor. His time on the throne saw the only civil war in this state, the establishment of Kuala Lumpur, the introduction of the Selangor flag and coat of arms, and the beginning of British involvement in the state’s affairs.

Those pertinent points reeled off by a tour guide on duty immediately catch my attention as I find myself walking past the historic Sultan Abdul Samad building on my way to the nearby Majestic Hotel. I’ve passed by this area countless times but it had never occurred to me that the monarch who lends his name to Kuala Lumpur’s most iconic building played such a significant role in the history of Selangor.

My interest piqued, I renegade on my initial plan and head off across Dataran Merdeka towards the Kuala Lumpur Library to find out more about the sultan who was born in 1804 at Kuala Selangor’s Bukit Melawati. Sultan Abdul Samad’s 41-year-rule was second only to that of Sultan Ibrahim Shah who reigned from 1778 to 1826.

Tin was by far the most important source of private wealth and public revenue. For the chiefs, this source of wealth was a means to power as they could provide for private armies to secure their domains from rivals. The Sultan usually held one of the river valleys as his royal domain and was also entitled to a share of tax collected by the chiefs of the remaining four valleys. Unfortunately, the sum was never enough to maintain a royal army strong enough to keep the chiefs in check. decline when power was passed to the less competent hands of his sons.