|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE |
|
MY SELANGOR |
|
Selangor Darul Ehsan |
|
myMalaysiabooks shares with you the best of the state of Selangor,
the most developed state in Malaysia.
Welcome to Selangor!
Selangor is
located on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia, south of the state
of Perak and north of Negeri
Sembilan.
In the heart of the state of Selangor is the Federal territory - the capital
Kuala Lumpur
and Putrajaya. It is the state
where the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is actually located
(though often mentioned as located in KL). Though Selangor means
"Abode of Serenity", a large part of Selangor is a built environment
of cities, towns, highways and manufacturing centres - not exactly
the quiet serenity perhaps.
Selangor is also the richest state in Malaysia in terms of GDP
The state centre of
administration and capital is Shah Alam and the royal capital is
Klang. A third major urban centre
is Petaling Jaya, the manufacturing hub of the state, which was awarded city status on 20 June 2006.
Selangor is one of
the richer states of Malaysia because of its large manufacturing
sector and proximity to the capital of Malaysia
SELANGOR THE STATE
|
 |
Location: |
West Malaysia/
Malaysian Peninsular |
|
Land Area:
|
7,960
square kilometers |
|
Capital:
|
Shah Alam |
|
Other info: |
Largest city - Petaling Jaya
Airport - KLIA |
|
|
History of Selangor |
|
The prosperity of Selangor is credited to the development of mining.
The natural wealth and location of the port at Melaka attracted miners,
immigrants and foreigners to the regions through the centuries.
The Minangkabau and Bugis were early migrants settling in the state and
later the Bugis exerted their influence, trading with the Portuguese then Dutch
in the region. The Royal House of Selangor (Sultanate of
Selangor) emerged in the 16th century - descended from the Raja of Relau
of
Indonesia. They are Bugis, originating from Luwu in the islands of the
Celebes.
The 19th century
saw the discovery of huge tin deposits which attracted a large influx of
Chinese immigrants, who were recruited to work mainly at the mines. The economy
of the state boomed and other foreign settlers and traders moved to Selangor. However, fighting between the
Bugis and Chinese immigrants and the indigenous Malays became frequent.
This eventually led to British intervention. The the Sultan of Selangor was forced to accept a British Resident in 1874.
In
1896, still under British colonial rule, Selangor united with Negeri
Sembilan, Perak and Pahang to form the Federated Malay States, with its
capital in Kuala Lumpur.
Economic development continued was with the introduction of rubber
cultivation and establishment of port facilities at Klang.
The Japanese
occupied the state in 1941 and deposed the ruling Sultan in favour of
his disinherited elder brother. At the end of the Second World War the
Sultan was restored on the throne.
The State joined the
Federation of Malaya on 1948. In 1974 Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding
areas were permanently ceded to the Federal government by the state.
|
|
Government of Selagor
- Selangor State Government
|
|
|
Where to go |
|
Major Urban Centres
 Shah Alam - is a town that was specifically designed to replace
Kuala Lumpur, as the state capital. KL was handed over to the
Federal Government on the 2nd of February 1974. The area, formerly called Sungai Reggam, became Shah Alam, the capital of Selangor.
The most prominent building here the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz
Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque. The mosque can accommodate
some16,000 worshippers.
Other attractions here include the Selangor State Museum, Selangor
Islamic Arts Complex, Wet World Waterpark and numerous shopping
malls and recreational venues. Surrounding the city is the Shah Alam
Lake Gardens and Bukit Cahaya Sri Alam Agricultural Park.
Shah Alam land area: 290.3 sq.km
Population: 584,340
Majlis Bandaran
Shah Alam - Shah Alam City Council
Petaling Jaya, more commonly referred to as 'PJ', is the largest city in
Selangor. In the 1950's due to rapid development and overcrowding in
Kuala Lumpur, an extensive area of rubber plantations, outside KL
was opened by the then British government for development as a
satellite town. Development started at the area no referred to as PJ
'old town'. PJ was the first town in Malaysia to have started as a
planned city. Hence, we have uninteresting naming of areas in PJ -
all called by sections or seksyen with numbers (e.g. Section 16,
Section 3, etc.) The city, divided into numbered sections, is
further subdivided into compass direction with acronyms such as - S
(eastern PJ), SS (central and western), PJU (northern), and PJS
(southern). A little confusing for a visitor.
PJ grew rapidly to become a suburban area with many
small commercial business, numerous shopping malls and manufacturing
enterprises supported by a large residential population. The
town was declared a city in 1974. Today, PJ is the largest city in
Selangor. PJ is linked seamlessly by the Federal Highway and other
roads to Kuala Lumpur. It is also connected by rail and LRT - KTM
commuter and Putra LRT to KL (Main stops, PJ New Town and Kelana
Jaya) Bus and taxis are also easily available.
Prominent landmark in PJ area:
 Kota Darul Ehsan Arch - a huge marble arch which stands over
the highway into Petaling Jaya. It was erected to mark the handing
over of KL to the Federal Government and Construction started in
1974 bust was only opened in 1981.
MBPJ Tower - This 27-storey building, headquarters of the
Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is known for its unique layout.
Kelana Jaya Lake Park with 7 lakes was formerly a mining area
in the 80s. It is a popular place for joggers.
Sunway Pyramid Megamal - a Theme mall in Malaysia
Shopping Places - Besides many pasar malam all over the city,
locals patronizes mainly the shopping malls in PJ.
Majlis Bandaran
Petaling Jaya - Petaling Jaya City Council
Klang - located about 32 km west of Kula Lumpur is the royal
capital of Selangor. The Klang town Authority was formed in 1947.
The Klang Municipal Council was established in 1977
Port Klang (formerly called Port Swettenham), one of the
major Malaysia port comes under the
Klang
Municipal council
|
|
|
Attractions of Selangor
|
Zoo Negara (National Zoo) - is located in Hulu Klang,
Selangor. Zoo Negara Malaysia is managed by the Malaysian Zoological
Society, a non-governmental organization established to create the
first local zoo for Malaysians. Zoo Negara is now 44 years old and
has matured into a well-known zoo all around the world. It houses a
total of over 5137 animals from 459 species of mammals, birds,
reptiles, amphibians and fish.
http://www.zoonegara.org.my/
The
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah mosque, often referred to as
‘The Blue Mosque’, has minarets at 142.3m - the tallest in the
world. Its blue dome is decorated with Islamic calligraphy.
Shah Alam
Lake Gardens
is the site of
annual events such as the International Boat Show and Orchid
Exhibition. Within is also a floating seafood restaurant and the Wet
World water-theme park. |
|
 |
|
|
 |
State
Museum -
of
traditional architecture houses displays that show Selangor’s
historical and cultural heritage.
Galeri Shah
Alam
- located by
the lakeside, exhibits art, local handicraft and fabrics.
The State
Monument
in Shah Alam,
with a sweeping arch, is a favourite location for shutterbugs and
tourists because of its picturesque og reflecting pools and gold
inscriptions on grey granite.
Keris
Monument
is on the left
hand side of the road just before the Bukit Raja Industrial Estate.
This memorial was erected in 1985 to commemorate the Silver Jubilee
of the Sultan of Selangor’s installation.
Tin Museum
at Jalan Raja Abdullah, 40100 Kelang, Selangor Darul Ehsan
is
located in a building built in 1856 which was originally known as the
Gedung Raja A bdullah, a warehouse belonging to Raja Abdullah.
Exhibits in this museum trace the history of tin mining in Selangor ; Opening hours 1000 to 1800 hrs. daily. Closed
on Fri. Admission is free.
Sultan
Sulaiman Mosque
in Klang, of
classic Islamic architecture, was presented by the British colonial
administration to Sultan Sulaiman in the 19th century.
 Kota Darul
Ehsan arch
– was erected
as a token of appreciation for the ceding of Kuala Lumpur to the
Federal Government by the Sultan of Selangor. This monumental marble
arch incorporates architectural elements of the Sultan Abdul Samad
Building. It can be seen on the Federal Highway and marks the state
border with
Kuala Lumpur.
The Mines
Wonderland
– is a place
for a family holiday. Built around a large old mining pond, the
theme-park offers water sports, rides, an ice-skating rink and
restaurants. The park is flanked by a golf course, two hotels and a
shopping centre.
Mines
Wonderland website
Sunway
Lagoon
is a former tin-mine that has been transformed into a major
amusement park.
Sunway Lagoon is a unique land of play and leisure that spans over
88 acres, giving it the capability to host events of any size.
Visitors can stay at the 1,234 rooms at Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa;
or shop at the grand Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall, all within the
Sunway Integrated Resort City (SIRC).
Inside, is a magical kingdom of pure fun
and excitement. Sunway Lagoon is divided into a world of five (5)
themed parks : Water Park, Amusement Park, Wildlife Park, Extreme
Park. This multi-park destination also boasts the World’s Largest
Man-Made Sandy Surf Beach, the World’s Longest Pedestrian Suspension
Bridge, Malaysia’s First Interactive Zoo, Asia’s Longest Flying Fox
Trail and also Lynton V Harris’ Scream Park, a live interactive
‘scare’ attraction.
Sunway Lagoon won ‘Asia’s Best Attraction’, awarded by
the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA)
from 2007-2010. Sunway Lagoon is also the winner of the inaugural
‘Asia’s Best Waterpark 2010’ by IAAPA.
It is alao one of the region’s hottest concert and
events venue - hosted some of the biggest international lifestyle,
music and sporting events including MTV World Stage (2009 & 2010)
and Quiksilver Revolution Tour (2006 & 2008).
How to get there: Sunway Lagoon is at Bandar Sunway, PJ, Selangor.
It is 15 minutes from Kuala Lumpur city center by roads and
expressways.
 Batu Caves
–
is the most popular and visited cave in Malaysia. It is located about 13km away
from Kuala Lumpur.
These limestone caves is the site of the annual Thaipusam festival (Hindu festival), which attracts thousands of
devotees and spectators. There are several caves within the Batu
Caves complex and within is decorated with Hindu shrines. Outside
the cave is the statue of Lord Murugan which stands at 42.7meters
high. The statue cost 2.5million to built and took about 15
sculptors and many workers to complete. It is believed to be the
second tallest Hindu God statue in the World. To reach the caves,
you have to climb a steep flight of 272 steps. More about Thaipusam at:
Religious
celebrations in Malaysia
Thaipusam
Video
Templer’s
Park
located north of Kuala Lumpur is a recreation forest park near the
Serendah Forest Reserve. This area has with waterfalls nestling
within.
Forest
Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Museum
is located on
the grounds of the Forestry Research Institute at Kepong, 15km from
the KL. The museum display forest exhibits that showcase the rich
forest heritage of the country. There are also exhibits the
different species of woods, their uses and products. Guided tours
are available by appointment. Opening hours: 8.00am to 4.15pm
(daily) Closed: Saturday, Sundays and public holidays.
Gallery of
the Orang Asli
or
Gombak Orang Asli Centre
is located at the 20km mark on Jalan Gombak (near Batu Caves). This
settlement nestles amidst secondary forest has an Orang Asli Museum
and Craft Shop. Visitors can get a glimpse of the life and culture
of aborigines of Selangor.
Kuala Selangor Fireflies - Kampung Kuantan is an attraction
for tourist who wants to watch fireflies. The firefly gives a light,
for the purpose of luring the opposite sex or intimidating a
predatory hunter. Take
a boat ride along the Selangor river to watch the spectacular
display of lights emitted by thousands of fire-flies (or lightning
bug)which lights up the mangrove trees around the swamps.
Boats can be hires at the jetty.
Sepang International Circuit - The state-of-the-art
circuit was officially opened on March 9, 1999. It is located 85km
from Kuala Lumpur city centre. With the length of 5.543 km, the
track features 15 turns and 8 straights with access speed of more
than 300km/h. The circuit can accommodate up to 130,000 spectators.
Other nearby attractions:
 Kuala
Lumpur
Melaka
|
|
|
|
Where to stay |
|
|
|
Where to shop |
|
There are numerous places to shop in Selangor - especially in Petaling Jaya.
Shop at pasar malam or at air-conditioned shopping malls all ovr the state.
Amcorp Mall, 18 Persiaran Barat, Off Jln.
Timur, PJ - mall with shop lots, and a t weekend flea market
Digital Mall, Section 14, PJ - first IT-lifestyle
mall in PJ.
Giant Kelana Jaya, Jalan SS6/4 - overlooking
Kelana Jaya Lake
Millennium Square, Section 14.
One Utama, 1 Lebuh Bandar Utama, PJ, is
probably the largest and most popular mall. Tenants include TGV and Golden
Screen Cinemas, Jusco, Marks & Spencer, MPH Megastore, Parkson, Giant
Supermarket, etc. There is a free hourly shuttle bus from Kelana jaya LRT.
The Atria, Jalan SS22/23, in Damansara Jaya
with Giant as its anchor tenant.
Sunway Pyramid Megamall – One of the largest
mall with many shop lots including some Cineplexs.
|
|
How to get there |
|
By Air
Fly to KLIA which is located right in the heart of Selangor. International
flights and domestic flights all lands here. Details at
Malaysia Transport.
By Road
The North-South expressway cuts the state of Selangor. A vast network of
roads and highways leads to the N-S expressway and to Kuala Lumpur.
By Rail
Selangor is accessible by rail, Putra and Star LRT from Selangor. KTM also
has daily commuter services from KL to Port Klang, Kajang, Rawang, Subang
jaya and Shah Alam. There are several train service (including electric
trains) that goes to KL Sentral.
By Sea.
Port Klang is one of the major port for ships to Malaysia. The Star Cruise
Terminal is located here. Nearby is also the jetty for boats to Dumai,
Indonesia. There are also private marinas for yacht.
More on transport at Malaysia transport
page |
|
|
|
|
