Well, in the days before mobile phones and when not everybody could afford a watch, a clock tower was a useful way for the population of a town to know the time.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, Some are quite modest affairs while others were built to impress and demonstrate authority.
Many were built during colonial times and commemorated events like coronations. Others were paid for by wealthy philanthropists wanting to leave their mark on their town.
Here is Part 2 of the list of fascinating clock towers in Malaysia.
13. Kuala Klawang Clock Tower, Negeri Sembilan
This clock tower commemorates Merdeka in 1957. The structure is topped with the pointed Minangkabau-style roofline typical of Negeri Sembilan.
14. Nilai Clock Tower, Negeri Sembilan
This clock tower is a recent landmark at Nilai Square.
15. Fraser’s Hill Clock Tower, Bukit Fraser, Pahang
The quaint clock tower at Bukit Fraser serves as a traffic roundabout and is one of the most photographed landmarks in the hill station, along with the adjacent post office.
Covered in creeping vines, it looks very old but apparently was only built in 1989.
16. Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Memorial Clock Tower, George Town, Penang
This attractive four-tiered tower was commissioned by local millionaire Cheah Chen Eok to mark Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1897.
It is 60 feet high, one foot for each year of her reign. The tower started to lean slightly after the area was bombed during the war.
17. Birch Memorial Clock Tower, Ipoh, Perak
The Birch Memorial was built in 1909 to commemorate the first British Resident of Perak State, JWW Birch, whose somewhat heavy-handed attempts to extend British authority over the area resulted in him being stabbed to death in 1875.
18. Kampar Independence Clock Tower, Perak
This clock tower was erected in 1957 to commemorate the independence of Malaya on August 31, 1957. It’s smaller than it looks.
19. The Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan, Perak
This 25-metre high clock tower in the small Perak town of Teluk Intan is Malaysia’s answer to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
20. Atkinson Clock Tower, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
This wooden structure stands on Signal Hill Road overlooking the town. It was built in 1905 and named after Francis George Atkinson who was the first District Officer for Jesselton.
The clock tower is one of the few structures left standing after the town was heavily bombed during World War 2.
21. Kudat Clock Tower, Sabah
This modern clock tower can be found at the Esplanade in Kudat town. It is decorated with Sabahan designs.
22. Tuaran Clock Tower, Sabah
This rather tired looking clock tower is in need of some TLC. It serves as a roundabout in the town of Tuaran.
23. Kuala Kubu Baru Clock Tower, Selangor
This art deco-style clock tower commemorates the coronation of King George VI in 1937.
24. Shah Alam Clock Tower, Selangor
This clock tower is part of the Selangor Tourist Information and Craft Centre in Shah Alam.
This article first appeared in malaysia-traveller.com