Melting pot of culture and colour
THE royal town of Klang, which is steeped in history, was the former administrative capital of Selangor before Shah Alam existed.
A melting pot of cultures and colours, Klang is the pride and joy of every Klangite who will profess that there isn’t any other place as exciting as their hometown.
Klang town comprises two parts – the old section and the new section.
Klang North is now considered the older part of Klang while Klang South houses new commercial centres as well as residential areas such as Bukit Tinggi and Taman Botanic.
Currently, Tourism Selangor is actively promoting Klang as it offers many places and things of interests to tourists.
One of the must-visit places in Klang is the Kai Hong Hoo, the only temple in Malaysia dedicated to the Song Dynasty’s most notable judge, Justice Bao.
Another one is Kota Bridge, the first double-decker bridge built in the country. The bridge, which connects north and south Klang, was opened in 1961 by Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.
Kota Raja Mahadi, which is a fort built during the 1867-1874 Klang civil war between Raja Mahadi and Raja Abdullah, is also another interesting tourist spot. Both the noblemen had waged war against each other to gain control of the tin-rich Klang Valley.
Connaught Bridge, one of the oldest bridges in the Klang Valley, is also in the royal town. Located near the famous Javanese enclave Kampung Jawa, the bridge was built in 1948 by the British. The original wooden bridge was replaced with a concrete bridge in 1995.
There are also several unique and interesting places of worship in Klang. The Sultan Sulaiman Mosque, opened in 1934, has unique architectural facets and has about four Sultans and three royal consorts buried there.
Another must-visit site is the 112-year-old Indian Muslim Mosque in Jalan Tengku Kelana, which is reminiscent of Muslim architecture in South India.
During the full moon period of every month, the 124-year-old Kuan Im Teng Temple, located near Simpang Lima, is crowded with devotees.
The temple had a close shave several years ago when there was a call to demolish and rebuild it due to termite infestation. Luckily, Sultan Sharafuddin intervened, saying it should not be demolished as it is one of the town’s legacies.
The pride of Klang’s Hokkien community, the temple also organises various community-based events throughout the year.
The Sri Sundararaja Perumal Temple, located in Persiaran Raja Muda Musa, is known as the Thirupathi of South-East Asia. It is the country’s first granite temple. It is also the oldest, biggest and most prominent Vaishnavite temple in Malaysia.
The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is in Jalan Tengku Kelana, is also a major tourist attraction as it houses a glass panel taken from the Sime Darby Medical Centre in Subang Jaya, which purportedly has the apparition of the Virgin Mary.
History buffs interested in the legacy of the Selangor Sultanate must not miss out the Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery, located in the heart of South Klang.
The gallery is housed in the Sultan Suleiman Building, which was built in 1909 by British architect Arthur B. Hubback. Hubback also designed the Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh railway stations, Carcosa Seri Negara and Masjid Jamek in Kuala Lumpur, among others.