In The name of Allah The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum w.b.t
History of Selangor
In the beginning:
Selangor’s first capital, Kuala
Selangor was established in 1766 which was later replaced by Kuala Lumpur.
In 1978, 4 years after Kuala Lumpur was incorporated into a Federal
Territory, Shah Alam took over the reigns as the first planned city.
Selangor is the place to visit as
it encompasses a range of attraction to fulfill the desires of its visitors.
With its rich cultural heritage, naturally beautiful landscapes and
surrounding, outdoor activities as well as a wide selection of shopping centre
to invade, tourists will be spoilt for choice. Amidst the hustle and bustle of
development, Selangor still retains its natural beauty which still attracts
people around the world.
There are just too many things to
do in Selangor that will require you to spend more time into exploring the
wonders of the beautiful state. Get yourself ready, plan ahead on what you want
to do and explore Selangor, be prepared to be blown away by the surprises
that are waiting.
Heritage & History:
Selangor was associated with tin
and ore mining activities since the past. And Selangor’s history dates back to
more than 2,000 years back with Klang being in existence long before
Parameswara’s discovery of Malacca.
The history of the Bugis
influence in Selangor started way back in 1722 when the five Bugis Brothers set
out to oust the then ruling Sultan, Raja Kechil and one of the brothers, Raja
Sulaiman was crowned the ruler of Johor-Riau. In 1766, one of the
descendent, Raja Lumu established Kuala Selangor and became the first Sultan of
Selangor. He is also known to have a built a fort strategically placed on
a hill in Kuala Selangor and named it Kota Melawati. The fort was used for
Selangor’s defense. Later in 1784, the Dutch conquered the fort and
renamed it Fort Altingsburg, but soon after was recaptured by Sultan Ibrahim on
the 28th June 1785.
A Progressive State:
With the growing demand of rubber
and tin, Selangor began thriving on its massive resources available and soon
grew to become an influential political power in the region around the 18th
century.
A power struggle soon occurred
and caused the economy to be unstable when the British arrived. The Sultan of
Selangor was forced to accept a British Resident in 1874 and soon after,
Selangor was back on the road to prosperity by becoming a part of the
Federation of Malaya and in 1963, the Federation of Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur was handed over to
the Federal Government in 1970. And in 2002, Putrajaya became a part of the
Federal Territory.
Being declared a developed state
on the 25th August 2005, Selangor continues to grow and thrive while
maintaining its beauty as a wonderful state.
Must See Places :
Located 32km to the west of the
capital city of Malaysia lies the royal town by the name of Klang, where trade
began in Selangor.
Klang is the place to visit if
you are interested in seeing heritage sites and learn about the history of
Selangor. Drop by the Bandar Palace, the Sultan Abdul Samad Mausoleum, Raja
Mahadi Fort and the Shah Alam Palace and be amazed by the history that is
preserved in these places.
Gedung Raja Abdullah, where it
was once used to store weapons, tin and food supply is another interesting stop
you should make while in Klang. In 1874, it was converted into a government
office. And now, it is converted into a tin museum. And on the way there, be
sure to look out for the Klang Fire Station that was built in 1974.
Another interesting historical
site in Selangor is none other than Kuala Selangor, where the ruling of the
state started. Top of the list is Melawati Hill as it is a host of many historical
attractions such as the ‘Itching Well’ which was used to torture enemies.
Those captured were forced to submerge themselves in the well filled with
‘poison’ or later we learn it was latex and bamboo shoots that made them
unbearable. It was often used to force information from the captives.
Besides that, some old relics can
still be found here such as an execution block made out of a black, solid stone
about 1.5 metre by 1.2 metre and a canon known as Meriam Penggawa (Guardian
Cannon) in the Royal Masouleum which is always draped in yellow cloth. As the
legend goes, if it is not covered by the yellow cloth, it will fire on its own.
