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TRAVELOGUE: MALAYSIA... by Uel Ongwico

The jewel of Southeast Asia.

Ang ganda ng lugar, nahili ako!!!  Nasabi ko sa sarili, “Ganito dapat ang Maynila!”

Malaysia is a multi-racial country with a population of approximately 19.9 million. This consist of the main racial groups of Malays, Chinese, Indians, and a very diverse group if indigenous people in Sabah and Sarawak. Those living on the west coast are predominantly farmers, dubbed as the ‘cowboys of the East’ for their skilled horsemanship. Those living on the east coast are mainly sea nomads, coming ashore only to bury their dead. (sounds like the inspiration for Waterworld?) Often called the ‘sea gypsies’ because of their love for wandering on the high seas, they are fearless warriors. Bahasa Malaysia is the official language, though English is widely spoken, and the different types of religion reflect the conglomerate of races living here. Islam is the official religion but Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and other beliefs are practiced freely. 

Kuala Lumpur (Malay for ‘the place where two rivers meet’) was once a muddy estuary founded in 1857 when the chief of Selangor state, Rajah Abdullah, sent a party of Chinese prospectors up river to explore the area around the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers to see if there were any valuable deposits of tin – a metal that had already brought great wealth to prospectors around the northern town of Ipoh. Although many died from malaria as they hacked through the dense, swampy jungle, the pioneers’ reward came with the discovery of rich deposit near Ampang, 6-km. from the river junction, which grew into a staging post for Chinese laborers who arrived to work in the mines.

The precarious rule of the pioneers was swept rudely aside once the Selangor Civil War had been settled by British gunboat diplomacy who took command and, in 1880, Kuala Lumpur became the capital of the state. In 1896, in was formally installed as the capital of the Federated Malay States.

  At the end of the WWII, following the Japanese surrender in September 1945, the British were once more in charge in the capital but found they couldn’t pick up where they had left off. Nationalistic demands had replaced the people’s blind acceptance of the colonizers and independence finally came in 1957. Tunku Abdul Rahman became the first Prime minister of an independent Malaysia.

Discovering KL (as locals affectionately call it) is like traveling through a time tunnel. From its centralized position, which spans 243.6-sq. km., this bustling nerve center expands outward to embrace the world. Here, vivid traces of history continue to influence and inspire a country set on becoming a fully industrialized nation by the year 2020. You will see ultra-modern skyscrapers standing magnificently next to rows and rows of quaint old shops. (psst! ‘eto ang the best tip para sa mga mahilig sa baratilyo!) To the avid shopper, KL is a paradise. From the world-renowned designer labels and brands to exquisite made-in-Malaysia items, the highly competitive environment that exists among traders is a blessing-in-disguise to average shoppers. While shopping at department stores or at any one of  the famous night markets (tiangge), the place will enthrall you (style Baclaran ang lugar pero, pang-Escolta ang dating. para sa mga ‘amrop’ (porma) na boys and girls!).

Getting Around. The city itself is surprisingly small. You will find many areas of the city quite conducive to walking but the real challenge would be your susceptibility to the heat. Traffic can also be a problem too, as motorists are not particularly accustomed to pedestrians. Areas like Chinatown, Little India, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, and Bukit Bintang are, perhaps, the best explored on foot and have a variety of shops and cafes to stop in and cool off from time to time.

There’s also the taxi (or teksi), the Light Rail Transit system, and the local buses and trains to augment and complement your adventures if you plan to ‘get lost’ in the maze of the concrete jungle. Just don’t forget to bring with you a map of the city and the suburbs.

Places of interest: Did you know that the tallest building in the world is in Kuala Lumpur? The Twin Tower, owned by the country’s national oil company – Petronas, rise up majestically in the heart of the city. Built in solid stainless steel structure, the giant edifice projects the country’s prominent economic foundation – the tin industry. The luxurious promenades offer visitors a place to cool their heels with fashionable stalls and western-style restaurants. Definitely a ‘Rodeo Drive’ for the rich and famous!

Merdeka Square. The site where the Malaysian flag was first raised in 1957. Aptly, today it’s where the tallest flagpole in the world stands.

Masjid Jamek. KL’s oldest mosque sits right at the point where two rivers, the Klang and the Gombak, meet – the birthplace of Kuala Lumpur.

Railway Station. Built in 1911, under the British rule, of Moorish design and architecture.

Taman Tasik Perdanan. The city’s most popular park includes various recreational facilities and other attractions like the Orchid Garden, the Bird Park, the Hibiscus Park, the Butterfly Park, the Deer Park, and Memorail Tun Razak.

Sultan Abdul Samad Building.  A famous landmark in the Independence Square, it bears testimony to the intricacies of Moorish design and architecture.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial. Dedicated to the memory of the nation’s ‘father of independence’, the memorial showcase the many aspects of Malaysia’s first Prime Minister. It offers visitors a deeper insight into the life of a respected world leader and his legacy that continues to inspire the present.

Shopping in Kuala Lumpur. The main shopping boulevards are the Jalan Tubku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Petaling/Jalan Bandar, and Jalan Bukit Bintang.

China Arts and Peiping Lace along Jalan TAR are a must for lovers of Oriental art, antiques and curios. Both shops stock an irresistible collection of fine embroidered bed and table linen, carved rosewood furniture, chests and cabinets, Chinese ceramics and jade and ivory carvings. Jalan Masjid India, which runs almost parallel to this area is the place to go for ethnic goods of Indian origin, sarees, sarongs and textiles.

The ‘Golden Mile’ of Bukit Bintang is a place where ultra-modern shopping and commercial complexes interspersed with towering international standard hotels. One would lose all sense of time browsing through the shoppes of Lot 10, Sungei Wang Plaza, Bukit Bintang Plaza, and Kuala Lumpur Plaza.

Petaling and Jalan Bandar are at the hub of the bustling Chinatown where shops offer a variety of textiles, clothes, shoes and handbags at bargain prices. Ito ang ‘B’Clayrun’! lahat ng klaseng ‘designer’ ay nandito, e.g., designer shirt, designer jeans, designer watches, designer fruits, designer fishballs, designer noodles, you name it – they got it!  At the onset of nightfall, makeshift and mobile stalls sprout like mushrooms and jam the street with their offerings of foodstuff (turo-turo), herbs, fruits, electronics gizmos, trendy clothes, CDS and tapes, etc. This is where you let yourself loose mingling with the jostling crowd and share in the heady excitement of the carnival-like atmosphere of the ‘pasar malam’ or night market. This is the place to hone your bargaining skills – where a poker face and the ‘gift of gab’ would be plus points in your favor.

From modern shopping centers and pulsating nightlife to historic Buddhist and Hindu Temples, our crew of 5,000 something people enjoyed a glorious mixture of culture, religion and thriving city life during five days of liberty in Kuala Lumpur. Some shopped ‘til they dropped, some ventured into the city’s several cultural centers and museums, others took advantage to relax at the many five-star hotels, and almost everybody tried just a little bit of everything.

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