NST Press: LAST month, I began my observations of the royal cities of the world and put forward my thoughts on our very own royal town of Klang.
With the Selangor Sultanate’s long and interesting history and the State’s many tourism assets, there is no doubt that Klang can carve a place for itself in tourism with the right approach and contribution from the tourism industry as well as the “Think Tourism, Act Tourism” attitude of the locals.
Here are some tips from Arshad Mustapa (popularly known as Pak Chat), the Selangor State director for the Ministry of Tourism and Culture as well as officials of Tourism Malaysia Selangor and Tourism Selangor.
KLANG HERITAGE WALK
Though modern, Klang has much to offer especially its rich history and attractions. It is well connected by excellent highways, train commuters, sea ports and airports such as the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang.
One should experience the Klang Heritage Walk to explore the many heritage and pre-war buildings and premises.
You may start at the 1857’s Gedung Raja Abdullah (Tin Mining Warehouse) which was converted into Selangor’s Tin Museum in 1985, the Victorian-style Klang Old Fire station built in the 1890s and the Old Klang Railway station built in 1890.
Worth admiring is the Raja Mahadi Fort as a landmark next to the Klang Municipal Council Hall and the double-decked Jambatan Kota (Kota Bridge) of 1957.
The Klang Convent School, which opened in 1924 with only 19 students, is also an important building.
Klang has many significant houses of worship, including the 80-old year, white Church Of Our Lady Of Lourdes, Kuan Yin Temple (1892), the oldest Sri Nagara Thendayuthapani Hindu temple and the beautiful and newly re-built Masjid India Muslim Tengku Kelana, completed in 2009 with glorious Andalucia designs.
ISLAMIC TOURISM IMAGE
As the State is also promoting Islamic tourism, one icon that shouldn’t be missed is Sultan Suleiman Royal Mosque.
Interestingly this mosque was built in a combination of neo classical and western art deco styles. It was officiated in 1932 by the late Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sir Alaeddin Suleiman Shah and Sir Laurence Nunns Guillemard, High Commissioner of the British Federated Malaysia States.
There is an attractive Tangga DiRaja (Royal Steps) linking Istana Alam Shah and the Royal Mausoleum located at the mosque’s grounds.
Educationists and former students, may recall the glory of Kolej Islam Kelang (Klang Islamic College, established in 1955) which has since produced many well-known Islamic scholars.
It also has one of the top debate teams among boarding schools in the country. In 1989, it was renamed as Kolej Islam Sultan Alam Shah as a homage to Sultan Sir Hishamudin ‘Alam Shah Alhaj, the founder of the college.
LITTLE INDIA
Located at Jalan Tengku Kelana, it has all sorts of things related to Indian culture, from food to fashion and household items.
The biggest Indian street in Selangor, it is a shopping haven during festive seasons for the locals and people in nearby towns and villages as well as sailors who transit at Port Klang. One may even spot tourists from international cruise ships. With much to explore, Selangor, particularly Klang (which means waterway) offers an enthralling journey of stunning landscapes and layers of history that make this relatively unexplored State the most rewarding place to be and invest for its vast potential.
On my last visit, I also realised that Klang offers medical tourism with many specialists practising here.
GOING BEYOND UNESCO STATUS
Moving forward, by taking Klang as an example, it is time that the spectrum of historical products in the country be expanded beyond Unesco World Heritage City of Malacca and Penang.
More exposure should be accorded to the royal cities and for tour packages of these historical sites to be developed.
With eight more royal towns in the country, namely Seri Menanti (Negri Sembilan), Kuala Kangsar (Perak), Pekan (Pahang), Arau (Perlis), Anak Bukit (Kedah), Muar (Johor), Kuala Terengganu (Terengganu), and Kota haru (Kelantan), there is potential to create heritage tourism products for high end and special interest markets.
No doubt, this is the challenge of the State tourism bodies and other stakeholders to get the ball rolling and for travel suppliers to consider seriously.
More needs to be done to promote our culture and heritage to be appreciated locally and internationally. The effort should go beyond organising events alone.
Tourism needs powerful products and integrated promotions. Collaborative efforts with the media and institutions for documentaries featuring our royal heritage and traditions, such as the installation of the King in Twice A King and the installation of Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, should be applauded.
Finally, it is also important to mention that while congratulating all works done so far by the relevant agencies in conserving and preserving old palaces, we must not overlook another equally important aspect.
A historical assessment of an area should also be conducted before any development is made to record the structural landscape for posterity and, as a historical document of important sites, buildings and architecture, as even a small village, a small stream by the highway or toll plaza or a small lake in the city, has its own piece of history to keep and share with the world.
On that note, I wish all readers a happy 57th Merdeka Day!
Disclaimer: Reading materials in this site are obtained from its respective website and it is for information purposes only. It is not Travel Travel Holiday Holiday - administrator view and it is not the used against Travel Travel & Holiday Holiday - administrator.
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