Lonely Planet Kuala Lumpur, Melaka & Penang

by Lonely Planet

  Yasmin Ahmad is considered to be the most important Malaysian filmmaker since Ramlee. Her film Sepet (2005), about a Chinese boy and Malay girl falling in love, cuts across the country’s race and language barriers upsetting many devout Malays, as did her follow-up, Gubra (2006), which dared to take a sympathetic approach to prostitutes. Causing less of a stir were Mukshin (2007), a romantic tale about Malay village life, and Talentime (2009), about an inter-school performing arts contest, and what would be Yasmin’s final film before her death from a stroke the same year.

  Tsai Ming Liang’s starkly beautiful but glacially slow interracial romance I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone (2006) was filmed entirely on location in KL. Set in Kelantan, Dain Said’s action-drama Bunohan (2012) did well at film festivals around the world, gaining it an international release – rare for a Malaysian movie. Said's follow-up Interchange, a film noir–style supernatural thriller set in KL, was released in Malaysia at the end of 2016.

  In the grounds of Badan Warisan Malaysia, the National Museum and the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), ornate examples of traditional wooden architecture have been transported from other parts of the country, reconstructed and opened for public inspection.

  Visual Arts

  Malaysia has a damned impressive contemporary art scene and KL is the best place to access it, both at public galleries and in several private collections that are open to visitors by appointment.

  Among the most interesting and internationally successful contemporary Malaysian artists are Jalaini Abu Hassan (‘Jai’), Wong Hoy Cheong, landscape painter Wong Perng Fey and Australian-trained multimedia artist Yee I-Lann. Amron Omar has focused for nearly 30 years on silat (a Malay martial art) as a source of inspiration for his paintings, a couple of which hang in the National Visual Arts Gallery in KL.

  Latiff Mohidin, who is also a poet, is a Penang-based artist whose work spans several decades and has featured in a major retrospective at the National Visual Arts Gallery; he's considered a national treasure. One of his stainless-steel sculptures, Kinetic 1, is in the lobby of the Petronas Towers.

  Abdul Multhalib Musa's sculptures have won awards; he created several pieces in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics. One of Musa’s rippling steel-tube creations is in the garden at Rimbun Dahan, while another can be spotted outside Wisma Selangor Dredging, 142C Jln Ampang, in KL.

  Architecture

  Traditional Malay

  Vividly painted and handsomely proportioned, traditional wooden Malay houses are also perfectly adapted to the hot, humid conditions of the region. Built on stilts, with high, peaked roofs, they take advantage of even the slightest cooling breeze. Further ventilation is achieved by full-length windows, no internal partitions, and lattice-like grilles in the walls. The layout of a traditional Malay house reflects Muslim sensibilities. There are separate areas for men and women, as well as distinct areas where guests of either sex may be entertained.

  The best examples of this type of architecture in KL are found scattered across Kampung Baru, the most Malay part of the city.

  The Two Arthurs

  Arthur Benison Hubback (1871–1948) and Arthur Charles Norman (1858–1944) are the two colonial-era architects whose fanciful Indo-Saracenic style of buildings have lent distinction to Kuala Lumpur's cityscape since the late 19th century. Hubback is most famous for designing Masjid Jamek, the graceful mosque with its Mogul domes and scalloped horseshoe arches; the spectacular old KL Train Station; and the matching Malayan Railway Administration Building. Norman was responsible for the collection of buildings around Merdeka Sq, most notably the Sultan Abdul Samad Building; and Carcosa Seri Negara, home of British Resident Sir Frank Swettenham and now a luxury hotel.

  Shophouses & Colonial

  Thanks to fires and civil war, not to mention their own fragile nature, none of the wooden and atap (thatch) huts of the original settlers of KL have survived. However, from the 1880s onwards the city was built in brick, with tiled roofs and stucco facades. Grand civic buildings such as those around Merdeka Sq signalled the British desire to stamp its colonial mark on the city. It's also from this era that KL's first brick shophouses started appearing, some of which can still be found along Jln Tun HS Lee.

  Shophouses are exactly what they sound like – a shop at the front with living quarters above and to the rear. Constructed in terraces, each unit is long and narrow, approximately 6m by 24m. An open courtyard in the middle of the building provides light and ventilation. Walkways sheltered by verandahs at the front provide protection from both rain and harsh sunlight. They are known as kaki lima ('five-foot ways') because they were supposed to be 5ft wide – not all are.

  As KL became more prosperous so did the style of shophouse architecture. Look around Chinatown and the Masjid Jamek and Masjid India areas and you'll see shophouses with Grecian pediments and columns and fancy window frames – the neoclassical style of the 1910s; Dutch-inspired gables, a style from the 1920s known as Dutch Patrician; and the geometric art deco style of the 1930s. The wealthiest residents constructed palladian-style villas such as Loke Mansion and the former Istana Negara. Jln Ampang, the road leading out to the former tin mines of Ampang, used to be lined with these mansions – only a handful remain, among them the ones housing the Malaysian Tourism Centre and the Pakistan High Commission.

  TY Lee is the architect responsible for designing KL’s art deco Central Market (1936) and Chin Woo Stadium (1953), an example of early modern style with stripped-back art deco elements.

  Postcolonial

  Following independence there was a conscious effort to break with the florid architectural styles of the past, particularly when it came to public building works. This resulted in the elegant lines of the Masjid Negara (National Mosque), Stadium Merdeka (built for the declaration of independence in 1957) and neighbouring Stadium Negara.

  Elaborate murals, with the Malaysian nation as their theme, were sometimes incorporated into these buildings: find them in Stadium Negara, the facades of the National Museum and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the Institute of Language and Literature) on the corner of Jln Wisma Putra.

  Some projects, such as the National Parliament (built in 1963 and designed by William Ivor Shipley), the National Museum, Menara Maybank and Istana Budaya, incorporate distinctive motifs from traditional Malay architecture and art. Others, such as the beautiful Dayabumi Complex, and – later – the Petronas Towers, take their design references from Islam.

  Among Malaysia’s postcolonial architects of note is Hijjas Kasturi, who designed the Tabung Haji and Menara Maybank buildings; the giant shark fin of Menara Telekom, on the border between KL and Petaling Jaya and adorned with 22 outdoor ‘sky gardens’, one on every third floor; and the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery. It’s possible at certain times of the year to visit Kasturi’s home, Rimbun Dahan, which is also a centre for developing traditional and contemporary art forms.

  Kuala Lumpur: A Sketchbook showcases lovely watercolour paintings by Chin Kon Yit and text by Chen Voon Fee that together vividly capture the capital's rich architectural heritage.

  Contemporary & Future

  Since the announcement of its planned construction in 2010, controversy over the use of state funds has surrounded Merdeka PNB118, a 118-storey tower under construction between Chinatown and Stadium Merdeka. The site of the former Pudu Prison is being redeveloped into the Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC) complex; plans include the construction of an 80-storey signature tower.

  It's the River of Life project that has the most potential to transform the way residents and visitors see the city's architecture. With its focus on the rejuvenation and revitalisation of the Klang river, the project also includes establishing heritage routes through the most historic parts of KL, including Chinatown, where the Medan Pasar has been pedestrianised, pavements widened and surrounding buildings cleaned up.

  Environment

  These days, KL is very far from a city in the jungle (more like a city surrounded by oil-palm
plantations). Still, there are pockets of old-growth forest to discover in and around KL that are havens for wildlife and sanctuaries for soaring tropical trees and plants. Easily accessible from KL are major national parks, such as Taman Negara, home to much of the amazing flora and fauna that once blanketed Peninsular Malaysia.

  Wildlife

  Apes & Monkeys

  The monkeys you’re most likely to encounter living wild around KL are macaques, the stocky, aggressive monkeys that solicit snacks from tourists at nature reserves and rural temples such as those at Batu Caves. If you are carrying food, watch out for daring raids and be wary of bites as rabies is a potential hazard.

  Leaf-eating langurs, such as the silvered leaf monkey whose fur is frosted with grey tips, are also quite common – spot them at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) swinging high through the trees.

  To see Malaysia’s signature animal, the orangutan, you'll have to drop by Zoo Negara; in Malaysia, these charismatic apes are found living wild only in the jungles of Sabah and Sarawak.

  The Encyclopedia of Malaysia: The Environment by Professor Dato’ Dr Sham Sani, one volume of an excellent series of illustrated encyclopedia, covers everything you need to know about Malaysia’s environment.

  Dogs, Cats & Civets

  The animals you’re most likely to see in KL are domesticated dogs and cats. However, local Muslims consider dogs unclean, hence many have negative attitudes towards them. In 2009 villagers from Pulau Ketam in Selangor rounded up more than 300 strays and dumped them on two uninhabited islands. According to reports from animal-welfare agency SPCA Selangor, the starving dogs turned to cannibalism to survive.

  Cats hardly fare any better, with many local species of wild cats facing extinction because of hunting and the trade in body parts for traditional medicines. The Malayan tiger is now extremely rare on the peninsula, as are leopards and black panthers (actually black leopards). Smaller bay cats, leopard cats and marbled cats are slightly better off, in part because they need less territory and eat smaller prey (birds and small mammals). You may also spot various species of civet, a separate family of predators with vaguely catlike features but longer snouts and shaggier coats.

  If you see parts of or products made from endangered species for sale, call the 24-hour Wildlife Crime Hotline (019-356 4194).

  Bats & Birds

  Malaysia has more than 100 species of bat, most of which are tiny, insectivorous species that live in caves and under eaves and bark. Fruit bats (flying foxes) are only distantly related; they have well-developed eyes and do not navigate by echolocation. They are often seen taking wing at dusk.

  More than 650 species of bird live in Peninsular Malaysia. You can spot exotic species in many urban parks or aviaries such as Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, but for rarer birds you’ll have to head to the jungle and the hillsides. The Malaysian Nature Society is helping to promote Genting Highlands as a prime birding location, and Fraser's Hill (Bukit Fraser) is already an established bird-spotting location.

  Reptiles

  Some 250 species of reptile have been recorded in Malaysia, including 140 species of snake. Cobras and vipers pose a potential risk to trekkers, although the chances of encountering them are low. Large pythons are sometimes seen in national parks and you may also encounter ‘flying’ snakes, lizards and frogs (all these species glide using wide flaps of skin). Even in city parks, you stand a good chance of running into a monitor lizard, a primitive-looking carrion feeder notorious for consuming domestic cats.

  Malaysia's jungles support a staggering amount of life: around 14,500 species of flowering plant and tree, 210 species of mammal, 600 species of bird, 150 species of frog, 80 species of lizard and thousands of types of insect.

  Improving Wildlife Conservation

  Malaysia’s Wildlife Conservation Act includes fines of up to RM100,000 and long prison sentences for poaching, smuggling animals and other wildlife-related crimes. Even so, smuggling of live animals and animal parts remains a particular problem in the region. In July 2010 police looking for stolen cars also uncovered an illegal ‘mini zoo’ in a KL warehouse containing 20 species of protected wildlife, including a pair of rare birds of paradise worth RM1 million.

  After serving 17 months of a five-year sentence, Malaysia’s most notorious animal smuggler Alvin Wong – described as ‘the Pablo Escobar of wildlife trafficking’ in Bryan Christy’s book, The Lizard King – was allegedly back in business in 2013 according to a documentary screened by Al Jeezera in 2013.

  It’s not just live animals that are being smuggled. Malaysia has been fingered as a transit point for illegally traded ivory on its way to other parts of Asia. In August 2015 authorities busted a syndicate in KL that claimed to be trading in tiger and other wildlife parts.

  Plants

  The wet, tropical climate of this region produces an amazing range of trees, plants and flowers, including such signature species as the carnivorous pitcher plant, numerous orchids and the parasitic rafflesia (or ‘corpse flower’), which produces the world’s largest flower – a whopping 1m across when fully open. However, vast tracts of rainforest have been cleared to make way for plantations of cash crops such as rubber and oil palms. Just look out the window on the flight into Kuala Lumpur International Airport and you’ll see endless rows of oil palms.

  Oil-Palm Plantations

  The oil palm, a native of West Africa that was introduced into Malaysia in the 1870s, is probably now the most common tree in Malaysia. The country’s first oil-palm plantation was established in 1917; today, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (www.mpoc.org.my), Malaysia is the world’s leading producer of palm oil, accounting for over 40% of global production. The oil is extracted from the orange-coloured fruit, which grows in bunches just below the fronds. It is used primarily for cooking, although it can also be refined into biodiesel – an alternative to fossil fuels.

  For all the crop's benefits, there have been huge environmental consequences to the creation of vast plantations that have replaced the native jungle and previously logged forests; in 2003 Friends of the Earth reported that palm-oil production was responsible for 87% of deforestation in Malaysia. The use of polluting pesticides and fertilisers in palm-oil production also undermines the crop’s eco credentials. Oil-palm plantations convert land into permanent monoculture, reducing the number of plant species by up to 90%. Oil palms require large quantities of herbicides and pesticides, which can seep into rivers; drainage may lower water tables, drying out nearby peat forests (and releasing huge quantities of greenhouse gases in the process). Plantations also fragment the natural habitats that are especially important to large mammals.

  The Palm Oil Action Group (www.palmoilaction.org.au) is an Australian pressure group raising awareness about palm oil and the need to use alternatives. Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) tries to look at the issue from all sides while seeking to develop and implement global standards. Proforest (www.proforest.net) has also been working with Wild Asia (www.wildasia.org) on the Stepwise Support Programme, designed to promote sustainability within the palm-oil industry.

  Iain Buchanan spent eight years creating the exquisite illustrations and text for Fatimah’s Kampung, a parable about how Malaysia is in the process of sacrificing nature and traditional values for economic development.

  National Parks & Other Protected Areas

  Malaysia’s jungles contain some of the world’s oldest undisturbed areas of rainforest. It’s estimated they’ve existed for about 100 million years, as they were largely unaffected by the far-reaching climatic changes brought on elsewhere by the last ice age.

  Fortunately, quite large areas of some of the best and most spectacular of these rainforests have been made into national parks, in which all commercial activity is banned. The British established the first national park in Malaysia in 1938 and it is now included in Taman Negara, the crowning glory of Malaysia’s network of national parks, which crosses the borders of Terengganu, Kelantan and Paha
ng; tour companies in KL run trips here.

  In addition to this and the 27 other national and state parks across the country (23 of them located in Malaysian Borneo), there are various government-protected reserves and sanctuaries for forests, birds, mammals and marine life. Right in the heart of KL you can visit the KL Forest Eco Park.

  Sign up to be a voluntary forest monitor at Forest Watch (www.timalaysia-forestwatch.org.my), a Transparency International Malaysia project.

  Environmental Issues

  Malaysia’s federal government maintains that it is doing its best to balance the benefits of economic development with environmental protection and conservation. Others, including a long list of wildlife and environment protection agencies and pressure groups, beg to differ, pointing out how big business continues to have the ear of government when decision time rolls around.

  Deforestation

  Malaysia’s logging and palm-oil businesses provide hundreds of thousands of jobs, yet they also wreak untold ecological damage and have caused the displacement and consequent cultural erosion of many tribal peoples.

  There’s a disparity between government figures and those of environmental groups, but it’s probable that more than 60% of Peninsular Malaysia’s rainforests have been logged, with similar figures applying to Malaysian Borneo. Government initiatives such as the National Forestry Policy have led to deforestation being cut to 900 sq km a year, a third slower than previously. The aim is to reduce the timber harvest by 10% each year, but even this isn’t sufficient to calm many critics, who remain alarmed at the rate at which Malaysia’s primary forests are disappearing.