HERITAGE UNDERTAKING

AS much as local business owners want to preserve their decades-old or even centuryold businesses, they also hope that they can work together as a community to preserve treasures that lend character and history to their businesses, such as the Klang River that brought them to the area in the first place.

Like these business owners, it’s important for everyone to appreciate that the unique character of our local community is often strongly influenced by the presence of local businesses. The distinctiveness of our local community can increase our overall satisfaction with where we live and enhance the value of our homes and property. Furthermore, having unique and interesting local businesses and attractions elevates the tourism pull of a town.

This is one of the inspirations behind the K lang Municipal Council (MPK)’s bold move to become the nation’s first Royal Heritage and Digital City in Malaysia by 2035, through the MPK’s 2035 Local Plan (Replacement) initiative. The aim is to empower Klang as a world-class royal heritage and competitive port city by emphasising sustainable and holistic development and by focusing on its extensive digital connectivity while maintaining its rich heritage.

This initiative is further spurred by the Selangor Maritime Gateway, a project by the Selangor State Government managed by Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd — an environmental conservation and sustainable development company, to rejuvenate the Klang River and the areas around it in Selangor.

In the pipelines are a new interactive destination playground and park at Pengkalan Batu and an ecotourism site called Mangrove Point, both within the Klang area, which will open in stages beginning early 2020. Plans are also underway to return the Klang River to its former glory with a river taxi system that will offer an alternative means of transport — connecting various towns, villages and tourism spots along the river.

These undertakings are designed to breathe new life into the city of Klang, its businesses and its heritage, and improve the lives of the people that call this city by the river home. It’s hoped that with the continued support of local communities and new tourist arrivals in the wake of the upcoming attractions and promotions for Klang, businesses like A. Jamal & Co, will continue to thrive and serve customers for generations to come.