FMT recently caught up with Faisal Surani, curator with the Klang Municipal Council, for his insights.
“It is believed that settlement in Klang can be traced back to 800 years ago and it was also mentioned in the poem Negarakertagama by Prapanca during the Majapahit Empire,” said the 54-year-old, whose family has been living in Klang for the past 12 generations.
Admiral Cheng Ho, a Chinese mariner and explorer during the early Ming Dynasty in China, also included a record of the settlement in Klang in his maritime charts.
Additionally, “Sejarah Melayu” (Malay Annals), long considered an important literary and historical work, also mentioned Tun Perak as the “Penghulu” (chief) in Klang at the beginning of the Malacca Sultanate.
Klang as the capital of Selangor
Klang was the capital of Selangor from 1875 to 1880 during the reign of Sultan Abdul Samad, said Faisal.
Upon His Majesty’s passing, his grandson, Sultan Ala’eddin Suleiman Shah became the fifth Sultan of Selangor and resided in Klang during the early 20th century at the Istana Mahkota Puri.
“The palace was a gift by the British in conjunction with His Majesty’s coronation,” Faisal explained.
During this period, Klang enjoyed a period of stability. The Klang War from 1867 to 1874 was over, leading to a steady increase in population. The economy too was booming due to tin mining and the cultivation of rubber plantations.
“Tin mining was carried out in the interior parts of Klang, and the town served as a ‘feeder point’ for exporting activities using the Klang River. This took place at Pengkalan Batu, the area beside the Klang River and the present site of Gedung Raja Abdullah,” he explained, adding that it was a lucrative business that drew many people.
Becoming a royal town
Soon, the growing population in Klang necessitated the building of a mosque for Muslims. So, the British built and bequeath a mosque to His Majesty at the time.
“The Sultan Suleiman Royal Mosque was officiated as the Suleiman Jamiur-Rahmah Mosque on June 23, 1933. This symbolically signified Klang as a royal town as it met the various criteria,” he explained, adding that since then, Klang has become synonymous with the title.
So, what is the criteria of a royal town?
According to Faisal, the are several main components. “Apart from a royal mosque, there must be a royal palace and a royal village,” he explained, adding that not many people are aware that Kampung Seri Alam, situated near Istana Alam Shah in Klang, is the royal village.
Additionally, the town must also have a royal tomb, residence for nobility, a field to hold celebrations, and the use of Jawi writing in official communications.
“The field was a place where His Majesty would meet His subjects,” he shared, adding that the field still exists to this day.
He explained that there was widespread use of Jawi in Klang, and even the British and Yap Ah Loy, a well-known leader of the Chinese community in Kuala Lumpur, wrote letters to His Majesty in Jawi.
Apart from these main components, Klang was also home to a royal ship, a fort, and a port.
Not forgotten
However, over time, the progress of modernisation took its toll on Klang.
“As the economy developed, the sizes of the ships grew. The Klang River was no longer suitable for the routes of these larger ships, and they moved to Port Swettenham.”
Today, it may appear that Klang has been overshadowed by Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, and Petaling Jaya.
However, this old town is not forgotten as there are plans to upgrade Klang’s title from a royal town to a royal city, Faisal explained.
“It would make Klang the first Malay royal city in the world, and someday, we hope that Klang can be gazetted as a Unesco World Heritage Site,” he shared.
“It’s time for Klang to be recognised for its unique identity. After all, it has such a rich history that other cities do not have, and the coming generations should remember it. Perhaps, with this recognition, Klang will even make way for other royal cities to emerge,” he shared.
What makes Klang special?
According to Faisal, it’s the unity between its residents of different races and religions. “Even in the early 20th century, they lived together in harmony,” he explained.
In the present day, he cited examples where customers of varying races can be seen enjoying a meal together in some of Klang’s iconic coffee shops, such as Chong Kok Kopitiam and Yap Kee Banana Leaf. One can also find different places of worship situated next to each other.
“This is a heritage of Klang and it should be treasured,”