Gedung Raja Abdullah, Klang

Left: One of the doors inside Gedung Raja Abdullah.
Right: What the Gedung looks like now.

Klang, known as the royal town, lies about 20 km from Shah Alam and some 30 km from Kuala Lumpur. Being one of the oldest cities in the country, older than Kuala Lumpur, it has lost most of its glitters and glamour compared to other cities in the Klang Valley. This former state capital of Selangor, however, still has the support of the largest port in the country, Port Klang, which is only eight kilometres away.










Left: The staircase that leads to the first floor.
Right: 'Pintu gerbang' which leads into the Gedung.

Being old means that it has something nostalgic to offer to the romantics. Within the heart of the city, which is split in two by the Klang River, are reminders of Klang's glorious past; the stately Sultan Sulaiman Mosque of classic Islamic architecture and the colonial-style Bangunan Sultan Sulaiman. Once the office of Klang District and the Head Office of the Selangor Police Contingent, the latter now serves as a branch office for the Municipal Council of Klang (MPK). Another royal landmark found within the vicinity is the majestic Istana Alam Shah, the venue for umpteen official royal ceremonies.






Left: At one time, it used to be a prison.
Right: Storage corner that's left to rot...

Other historic sites are the Kota Raja Mahdi, the fort built in 1886 by Raja Mahdi, ruler of Selangor during the civil war; and the Gedung Raja Abdullah, built in 1856 as a warehouse for weapons and food. This warehouse belonged to Raja Abdullah bin Raja Jaafar, a royalty who played an important role in the history of early Klang. The Gedung is the first building ever built by a Malay. At one time it used to be a Tin Museum (till 1984). Now undergoing restoration.