The answers to these questions and more are in “Secret KL”, a guide to the unusual, secret, and lesser-known facets of our charming capital city. The book takes readers on a thrilling tour of the backstreets and bylanes of Kuala Lumpur, uncovering about 120 wonderful and whimsical sites.
“I think it’s very important for us to know the history of our cities, especially for those who live in them,” author Lam Seng Fatt told FMT Lifestyle.
“Some young people nowadays only like to visit places that look good on Instagram. But there’s a lot out there to be discovered that many of us don’t know about.”
Lam, a journalist with over 45 years of experience, is a true-blue KL-ite who has always been fascinated with the city. An avid traveller, he has written three books: “Through the Lens” (1996), “Insider’s Kuala Lumpur “(2000), and “Thrills and Treasures of Historical Landmarks Selangor” (2008).
The book from Jonglez Publishing is part of a travel series that includes “Secret Lisbon”, “Secret Singapore”, “Secret Los Angeles” and others.
“Secret KL” is organised geographically, with sections covering central, north, south, east and west Kuala Lumpur. The book includes maps marking the locations of featured sites, making it convenient for readers to visit places that capture their interest.
The featured attractions include spots KL-ites might pass every day without realising they hold significance. Many of the sights are historical, so the book is also filled with fascinating trivia about places and people.
For instance, did you know that Bukit Nenas got its name from a former stockade there? Defenders planted pineapples around it, as their sharp spines were an effective deterrent against attackers.
Learn the backstory, for instance, of Gurdwara Sahib Polis, the first temple built for Sikh policemen here. Or discover railway sleepers memorialising the 25,000 Malaysians who died during the construction of the Thai-Burma Railway during the Japanese Occupation.
One chapter discusses the facial features of the soldiers on the National Monument – an issue that recently made headlines.
Lam said he was bound by stringent guidelines when deciding what sights to feature in the book. Crucially, they had to be “secret”, or unknown to most people, which meant none of the city’s most famous landmarks could be included.
Additionally, each featured sight had to be free to view and must offer something visually engaging. Lam noted that several locations had to be cut as, despite having compelling backstories, there was nothing onsite for visitors to see.
So, how does one discover obscure travel locations? Lam turned to old books, research papers and the internet: many Facebook groups and Reddit posts pointed him in the right direction.
A few attractions, such as the image of an old Chinese junk moulded in relief on a pillar fronting Jalan Hang Kasturi, were discovered by accident.
“I didn’t even know about this. I was just walking down the road one day and the sunlight cast a shadow on the wall, which drew me to it. I quickly took out my camera and snapped it – a completely lucky discovery,” said Lam.
He added that some of the featured sites have suffered from wear and tear and are in urgent need of preservation or restoration.
Ultimately, he hopes “Secret KL” will inspire readers to explore more of the capital city and experience its quirks and curiosities first hand.
“We shouldn’t be constantly comparing ourselves to other cities, which may have longer histories than we have,” Lam advised.
“I believe Kuala Lumpur is full of its own charms. We have so many different cultures, coming together, creating such fascinating history and heritage. That is what we should really appreciate.”
‘Secret KL’ can be purchased from bookstores such as MPH Online.