| Klang 巴生 (Chinese) கிள்ளான் (Tamil) |
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| The palace of the Sultan of Selangor in Klang | |||
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| Motto: Perpaduan Sendi Kekuatan | |||
| Location of Klang within the Klang District, and the state of Selangor | |||
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Klang
巴生 (Chinese) கிள்ளான் (Tamil) |
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Malaysia | ||
| State | Selangor | ||
| Establishment | 1643 | ||
| Granted Municipal Status |
1977, 1 January | ||
| Government | |||
| • Administered by | Majlis Perbandaran Klang (Klang Municipal Council) |
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| • Yang diPertua (Councillor) |
Y. Bhg. Tuan Mislan bin Tugiu | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 573 km2 (202 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 1,113,851 (3rd) [1] | ||
| • Density | 1,738/km2 (4,930/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | MST (UTC+8) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | Not observed (UTC) | ||
| Website | http://www.mpklang.gov.my/ | ||
Klang ( /ˈklæŋ/; Chinese: 巴生; Tamil: கிள்ளான்), formerly known as Kelang, is the royal city and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District in Klang Valley. It is located about 32 km to the west of Kuala Lumpur and 6 km east of Port Klang. It was the civil capital of Selangor in an earlier era prior to the emergence of Kuala Lumpur and the current capital, Shah Alam. Port Klang, which is located in the Klang District, is the 13th busiest transshipment port and the 16th busiest container port in the world.
Majlis Perbandaran Klang (MPK), the local municipal council of Klang, exercises jurisdiction for a majority of the Klang District while the city council of Shah Alam, the state capital, exercises some jurisdiction over other parts of the district (known as Shah Alam selatan).
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The royal town of Klang has been a site of human settlement since prehistoric times. Bronze Age drums and other artefacts have been found within the town itself and within the vicinity. Commanding the approaches to the tin rich Klang Valley, Klang has always been of key strategic importance.
The celebrated Tun Perak, the Malacca Sultanate's greatest Bendahara, came from Klang and became its territorial chief. After the fall of Melaka to the Portuguese in 1511, Klang remained in Malay hands, controlled by the Sultan Johor-Riau until the creation of Selangor sultanate in the 18th century.
In the 19th century the importance of Klang greatly increased by the rapid expansion of tin mining as a result of the increased demand for tin from the West. The desire to control the Klang Valley led directly to the Selangor Civil War (sometimes called the Klang War) of 1867–1874 when Raja Mahdi fought to regain what he considered his birthright as territorial chief against Raja Abdullah. He failed and the end result was British intervention and control.
After 1874, the British soon selected Klang over Jugra as the centre of their administration, which it remained until 1880 when they transferred it to the mining centre of Kuala Lumpur.
Klang did not lose its importance, however. Until the construction of Port Swettenham (now known as Port Klang) in 1901, the royal town remained the chief outlet for Selangor's tin, and its position was enhanced by the completion of the Klang Valley railway (to Bukit Kuda) in 1886. In the 1890s its growth was further stimulated by the development of the district into the State' leading producer of coffee, and then rubber.
In 1901, it became the official seat of Sultan Sulaiman (Sultan Alauddin Sulaiman Shah). Today Klang is no longer State capital or the main seat of the Ruler, but it remains the headquarters of the District to which it gives it name.
This is a timeline of Klang's modern history:
To pay tribute to Raja Mahdi, a school was named after him, S.M.K. Raja Mahadi. It is located in Taman Goodwood, Klang.
Klang may have taken its name from the Klang River which runs through the town. The entire geographical area in the immediate vicinity of the river, which begins at Kuala Lumpur and runs west all the way to Port Klang, is known as the Klang Valley.
Popular theories on the origin of the name are that it was derived from the Mon-Khmer word Klong or from the old meaning of the Malay word Kilang meaning "warehouses", given that it was full of warehouses in the old days (kilang currently means "factory").
Klang is divided into Klang North and Klang South, which are separated by the Klang River.
Klang North used to be the main commercial centre of Klang, but since 2008, more residential and commercial areas as well as government offices are being developed in Klang South. Most major government and private health care facilities are also located at Klang South. Hence, this area tends to be busier and becomes the center of social and recreational activities after office hours and during the weekends. This is triggered by the rapid growth of new and modern townships such as Bandar Botanic, Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Taman Bayu Perdana, Glenmarie Cove, Kota Bayuemas etc. all located within Klang South.
At the Klang North side, some of the older and established residential areas include Berkeley Garden, Taman Eng Ann, Taman Klang Utama, Bandar Baru Klang and so forth. Newer townships include Bandar Bukit Raja, Aman Perdana and Klang Sentral.
Malaysia's busiest port, Port Klang is located at Klang South.
Klang encompasses three parliamentary seats: Kapar (Mr. Manikavasagam a/l Sundaram of PKR), Kota Raja (Mdm. Siti Mariah Mahmud of PAS), and Klang (Mr. Charles Anthony Santiago of DAP). All three are held by the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. These constituencies are subdivided into state seats.
Klang is served by five commuter stations that constitute the Batu Caves-Port Klang Route of the KTM Komuter system, namely the Bukit Badak Komuter station, the Kampung Raja Uda Komuter station, the Klang Komuter station, the Teluk Pulai Komuter station and the Teluk Gadong Komuter station.
Klang is well connected to the rest of the Klang Valley via the Federal Highway, the New Klang Valley Expressway, the North Klang Straits Bypass (New North Klang Straits Bypass) as well as the KESAS Highway.
Klang is also served by the RapidKL bus route. Klang Sentral acts as a terminal for buses and taxis in northern Klang.
Klang is well known for its Bak Kut Teh (Chinese: 肉骨茶, Pinyin: Ròu Gŭ Chá), a herbal soup that uses pork ribs and tenderloins. Bak Kut Teh is popular in various locations including Taman Intan (previously called Taman Rashna), Teluk Pulai, Jalan Kereta Api and Pandamaran. A kind of virus (J.E.) struck pigs in the late the 90's that affected pig farmers nationwide led to the creation of Chik Kut Teh, that substitutes chicken for pork.
Another notable Chinese cuisine which is the famous Chee Cheong Fun from Klang can be found in Taman Eng Ann, which is an older and more established township of Klang. Located just directly opposite the SRK (1) Jalan Batu Tiga primary school in Taman Eng Ann is a large foodcourt hosting many daytime snacks ranging from the above mentioned famous Chee Cheong Fun, Yong Tau Foo, Popia (Chinese springrolls), the medicinal herb Lin Zhi Kang drink, and the ever famous Rojak and Cendol are available daily. Other stalls found also serving Chee Cheong Fun in Klang are located around the Meru Berjaya area. The Yong Tau Foo, a Malaysian Hakka Chinese delicacy, is a popular meal for lunch and dinner as well.
Klang is also well-known for its seafood at Teluk Gong, Pandamaran and Tanjung Harapan (Medan Ikan Bakar, the Malay Seafood Restaurant and Bagan Seafood, the Chinese Seafood Restaurant. One of the famous delicacies here is
Besides that, Klang is also famous for its "Rojak Klang". The most popular Rojak Klang stall in Klang is Rojak Klang Gani located at the Emporium Makan in the main town area. This stall has been in operation since the 1970s.
Another famous delicacy is the "Cendol". Presently, the owner, Munusamy, of "Cendol Klang" store, located at the heart of Klang town centre, has come a long way to where it is today. Before the store came about, the sole-proprietor sold cendols along Jalan Nanas on his mobile-store attached to his motorcycle and had been so since 1972. Cendol was gaining popularity over time in the 90s and it was not until circa 2000 that the sole-proprietor moved into a store at the very same place where he had been selling.
Other famous local delicacies are "Lontong Klang", "Mee Bandung Muar" and "Mee Jawa", which is similar to Mee Rebus in Johor. There are a number of restaurants or stalls selling Mee Jawa. One of the famous Mee Jawa is also located at food court at Emporium Makan (opposite to Rojak Klang Gani). It also sells famous hailam noodle and the owner is called Wak Sarip.
Other famous local delicacies are "Nasi Lemak kukus". The famous Nasi Lemak restaurant called "Nasi Lemak Lido" is located at Lebuh Gopeng, Klang. This restaurant has been in operation since the 1940s and was previously located opposite formerly well known Lido cinema.
Klang is also famous for its banana leaf rice, which is primarily available in several Indian restaurants along Little India (Jalan Tengku Kelana).
There are several shopping complexes in Klang, primarily in Klang South, namely:
| Preceded by first |
Capital of Selangor (1880–1889) |
Succeeded by Kuala Lumpur |
| Preceded by Kuala Lumpur |
Capital of Selangor (1974–1977) |
Succeeded by Shah Alam |