A peacock and chimpanzee (below) adorning safari-themed wall murals that are also part of the Klang Heritage Walk. — SS KANESAN/The Star
ALTHOUGH some outsiders tend to label Klang with subversive tags, those living in the quaint royal town will say otherwise.
Klang, which tends to be grossly misunderstood, is actually a beautiful melting pot of old-fashioned charm and modern exuberance.
Besides being a food paradise, Klang is rich in history and home to many heritage sites that have boosted local tourism. That is why those born and raised in Klang will argue that there isn’t any place in the country better than Klang.
Entrepreneurs Association of Little India Klang president Charles Manickam, who was born and raised in the town, said such negative perceptions were slowly fading as many outsiders were now opting to buy homes in the town.
He reckoned that people were moving to Klang as those from busier places like Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya and Kuala Lumpur were able to buy cheaper homes here.
“Homes are cheaper but the amenities are top-notch and there are many routes and highways that lead to Klang. If you ask me, Klang is a very beautiful place and I feel that it is a very good place to live and raise a family,’’ added Charles.
Mother of three Kavitha Soraya Kandasamy concurred that Klang was a good place to raise children.
“People in Klang make up a close-knit community. It is reminiscent of how life used to be decades ago when everyone looked out for each other,” she added.
Besides new developments, Klang is steeped in interesting history as it is a melting pot of cultures.
Historical literature states that some Bronze Age artefacts were found in Klang, a sign that people had started living here since prehistoric times.
Klang is also a tourist-friendly spot as it has many interesting landmarks such as Kai Hong Hoo, the only temple in Malaysia dedicated to the Song Dynasty’s most notable judge, Justice Bao.
Another attraction is the Indian Muslim Mosque in Jalan Tengku Kelana, which is over a century old.
Built by Indian Muslims from Tamilnadu, India, who came to the then Malaya to start business, the mosque conducts its sermons fully in Tamil and replicates South Indian Muslim architecture.
The historic Indian Muslim Mosque in Klang’s Little India is over a century old. — KK SHAM/The Star
Klang also receives busloads of Hindu devotees from all over the country who throng the Sri Sundararaja Perumal Temple, which is known as the Thirupathi of South-East Asia.
The temple, which is the most prominent Vaishnavite temple in the region, is exceptionally busy on Saturdays as devotees come to pay homage to Lord Saturn, who has a shrine dedicated to him here.
St Anne’s Church in Port Klang is also an alternative venue during St Anne’s feast every year. Pilgrims who cannot go to the famous St Anne’s Church in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, make their way here instead to observe the feast.
The other main church in Klang is the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Jalan Tengku Kelana, which came under the limelight when glass panels from Subang Jaya Medical Centre that allegedly showed apparitions of Mother Mary and Jesus Christ were moved there.
The Kuan Im Teng Temple, near Simpang Lima, is also over a century old and was once almost torn down due to a severe termite attack.
Luckily, Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah intervened in time and ordered that the original structure of the temple be retained as the temple is part of Klang’s historical legacy.
The Our Lady of Lourdes Church, which houses glass panels that allegedly showed apparitions of Mother Mary and Jesus Chist. — CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
The temple, which was built by Hokkien traders, has since been refurbished and is currently busiest during the full moon period of every month.
The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) has also implemented various projects to beautify the town such as painting murals on the side and back walls of buildings and lanes from Jalan Tengku Diaudin to Jalan Datuk Hamzah in the older part of Klang.
MPK president Noraini Roslan said the idea to commission the murals aimed to attract tourists and help local businesses.
“The location where the murals are painted is a historical zone where the Klang Heritage Walk route meanders and they (the murals) make the area more interesting,” she said.
Some 16 artists had completed 65 murals in early 2020, just a month before the movement control order was imposed during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Noraini, MPK was also looking to upgrade Klang to city status and the council has met the 11 criteria set by the then Housing and Local Government Ministry for the upgrade.
“MPK’s intent of upgrading the royal town’s status is in tandem with our aspiration of ensuring Klang’s historical and heritage elements are preserved,” she said.
MPK is striving for Klang to be accorded city status by 2024, added Noraini, though its biggest challenge is the old infrastructure that constantly needs to be upgraded.
“We need the cooperation of all the stakeholders and residents here to assume the responsibility of ensuring that the development pursued does not sacrifice Klang’s environment, culture and heritage,” she said.
