Royal Selangor Club

Not to be confused with Royal Selangor Golf Club.

The older portion of the Royal Selangor Club building (center), as well as its more modern north wing (right) added after the club's 1970 fire, are primarily built in Mock Tudor stylings.

The Royal Selangor Club (Malay: Kelab Di-Raja Selangor) is a social club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, founded in 1884 by the British who ruled Malaya. The club is situated next to the Dataran Merdeka, or Independence Square, padang (field), and is accessible from Jalan Raja (Raja Road). The Club will play host to certain matches from the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup.

History and overview

While the club is more than 100 years old, much of its early records were lost during the three-year Japanese occupation of Malaya from 1942 to 1945, and the 1970 fire that damaged the club (see #Flooding and fire).

The club was founded as the Selangor Club in 1884 as a meeting point for educated and high-ranking members of British colonial society. Nevertheless, membership to the club is primarily determined by high educational and social standards, rather than race or citizenship. The organisation was initially based in a small wooden building with an attap roof at near the north eastern corner of the padang, which was replaced by a two-storey structure in 1890 on the west side of the padang, the present site of the club, and designed by A.C.A. Norman, a Government Architect. The building was later redesigned by architect Arthur Benison Hubback (who was notably credited for the design of the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station) and rebuilt in 1910, with two additional wings on either side of the main building and a Mock Tudor styling.

The club was nicknamed "The Spotted Dog" as two Dalmatians belonging to the wife of one of the club founders were left to guard the entrance of the club whenever they visited the club. The club is also simply referred to as "The Dog".

Over the years, the club's membership increased and had also begun to include high-ranking Malaysian civil servants: judges, lawyers and important people in society. The club's proximity to the old High Courts at the other side of Dataran Merdeka has also made the club a suitable meeting place for the legal fraternity.

Flooding and fire

The Royal Selangor Club was not spared from frequent flooding in Kuala Lumpur. Between the start of the 1910s and 1930s, the club was recorded to be hit by floods in 1911, 1917, December 1925 and December 1926.

On 20 December, 1970, the main section of the club was razed in a fire which was believe to have started from its kitchen at around 10.30 p.m. and was contained within an hour by 50 fire fighters (including 20 who were off-duty). Property damage from the fire was estimated to cost more than M$1.5 million, but there were no casualties. During the fire, guests of a children's Christmas party in the club were safely evacuated with "no panic." The then president of the club, Khir Johari, stated that the club was insured for M$1 million. Shortly after, another flood struck Kuala Lumpur and the club premises three days after the start of 1971.

Rebuilding after the fire

After the fire, plans were made by the club to rebuild what was damaged. Proposals were made on a new wing and submitted to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall in 1972. However, City Hall was suggesting the construction of a civic center over the site of the club's field and club. The initial response by the club was to search for a new site in the surrounding area (including Jalan Duta, an area near the Houses of Parliament, an area near a polo club in Ampang, and Damansara) with little success. Discussions were eventually made with City Hall to agree on the club's rebuilding. As a result, plans for a civic center in the area were abandoned, and City Hall granted the reconstruction of the club's new building in July 1978. The new wing, which was built in a similar Mock Tudor style as the rest of the club building, was constructed between 5 November, 1978 to December 1980 at a cost of M$6 million.

Sports and recreation

The club has organised various sporting activities since its early years, including cricket (where it has been a key player in the history of cricket in Malaysia). Rugby Union has been played at the Club since 1894.

Sign prohibiting women from bar

Sporting events at the club can be viewed from the Long Bar, a portion of the club which has been off limits to women, purportedly because men "would drink and get very excited when they watched the games and they didn't want the ladies to see their exuberant behaviour, hence it was decided to ban women visitors from the Long Bar". Women are still prohibited from the bar area today, contrary to a 2007 report by The Star, a local English daily.

The club is also notable for introducing hash running in 1938. During the World Interhash in 1998, an exception was made to allow women into the Long Bar.

Dataran Merdeka field

The field or padang fronting the Royal Selangor Club, now known as Dataran Merdeka, had long been used by the Club but was leased from the Government under a "Temporary Occupation License - TOL" before it was taken back by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall in 1987 to be used specifically for events organised by City Hall. Throughout the time the field was used by the club, sporting activities such as cricket, rugby, hockey and football matches were held there almost on a daily basis. The club's loss of the field was compensated with a piece of land in Bukit Kiara, which is currently the site of the Royal Selangor Club Bukit Kiara Annexe.

Recognition

Entrance to the Royal Selangor Club.

Effort has been made to accumulate support from various bodies to recognise the club as a national heritage building and institution, due to its intertwined link with the country's history.

The club is one of the oldest in the country, serving as a British institution, and is witness to the first hoisting of the Malayan flag in place of the Union Jack on the night of 30 August, 1957 and declaration of independence by Tunku Abdul Rahman (to which club members broke into cheers of happiness), signifying the country's independence from the British. In 1984, the club was awarded a royal status under the patronage of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, who has voiced his support for the club's preservation during its 100th anniversary celebration, stating that "This institution should remain forever."