Kuala Lumpur

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Emergency Numbers Exchange Rate

Police: 999
HK$1 Hong Kong Dollar is RM0.4166 Malaysian
Medical: 999 Ringgit
Fire Department: 999 HK$5 Hong Kong Dollar is RM2.083 Malaysian
Ringgit
civil defense 991 and fire 994
in parallel with 999; 112 can be
Ringgit
dialed from mobile phones
Time Zone Ringgit
Kuala Lumpur is in the HK$50 Hong Kong Dollar is RM20.83 Malay-
UTC+8 time zone. That’s 0 hours sian Ringgit
ahead of Hong Kong. HK$100 Hong Kong Dollar is RM41.66 Malay-
sian Ringgit
8:00 AM in Hong Kong is 8:00
AM (the same day) in Kuala
Lumpur. RM1 Malaysian Ringgit is HK$2.4003 Hong
Kong Dollar
8:00 AM in Kuala Lumpur is RM5 Malaysian Ringgit is HK$12.0015 Hong
8:00 AM (the same day) in Hong Kong Dollar
Kong. RM10 Malaysian Ringgit is HK$24.003 Hong
Kong Dollar
RM20 Malaysian Ringgit is HK$48.006 Hong
Kong Dollar
Kong Dollar
Kong Dollar
Tipping Policy
Taxi: None
Restaurant: None
Porter: None
Electricity Standard,
Weather Forecast Joke

Two muffins were sitting in an oven, and the first
Wed, Jun 04 looks over to the second, and says, “man it’s really
H: 103°F, L: 86°F hot in here”. The second looks over at the first with
a surprised look, and answers, “WHOA, a talking
Thu, Jun 05 muffin!”
H: 96°F, L: 84°F
Fri, Jun 06
H: 97°F, L: 86°F
Sat, Jun 07
H: 100°F, L: 85°F
Sun, Jun 08
H: 101°F, L: 84°F
An up-to-date travel guide prepared for
C h r i s D av i e s
Kuala Lumpur
K ua l a L u m p u r , J u n 1 9 – J u n 2 6, 2 0 0 8
Maps
Weather
What to do
Where to go
Lodging
Dining
The travel guide made just for
C h r i s D av i e s
Copyright 2008, Offbeat Guides

Contents
Maps 8
Kuala Lumpur Region View 8
Kuala Lumpur City View 10
Kuala Lumpur Neighborhood View 12
Kuala Lumpur Street View 14
Kuala Lumpur 16
Districts 16
Understand 17
By road 22
By bus 23
By train 25
By boat 25
Get around 25
By taxi 25
By car 26
On foot 26
See 27
Do 28
Buy 29
Eat 30
Drink 31
Sleep 33
Contact 33
Respect 34
Stay healthy 35
Stay safe 35
Get out 36
Kuala Lumpur 38
History 39
Geography 41
Weather 41
Demographics 42
Population statistics 43
Local government 44
Politics 44
Economy 45
Tourism 47
Retail 48
Architecture 49
Parks 50
Arts 50
Sports and recreation 52
Media 53
Transportation 54
Education 55
Sister cities 57
Events 58
Thursday, June 19, 2008 58
Friday, June 20, 2008 58
Saturday, June 21, 2008 59
Sunday, June 22, 2008 60
Monday, June 23, 2008 60
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 60
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 61
Thursday, June 26, 2008 63
Weather Forecast 64
References 67
Offbeat Resources 67
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 7
Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

8
Kuala Lumpur Region View
Created for Chris Davies


10
Kuala Lumpur City View


12
Kuala Lumpur Neighborhoo

od View

14
Kuala Lumpur Street View


16
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur , or simply KL, is the capital of Malaysia. Literally
meaning “muddy estuary” in Malay, KL has grown from a
small sleepy village to a bustling metropolis (metro population
6.9 million) in just 150 years. With the world’s cheapest five-
star hotels, great shopping and even better food, increasing
numbers of travellers
are discovering this
little gem of a city.
Districts
Kuala Lumpur is a
fairly sprawling city
and its residential
suburbs seem to go
on forever. The city
■ KLCC_PetronasTowers also merges with
(Correct caption to be inserted) the adjacent towns of
Petaling Jaya (originally
developed as KL’s dormitory suburb), Subang Jaya, Shah Alam,
Klang and Port Klang, creating a huge metropolis called the
Klang Valley.
The city can be divided up into the following areas, each of

which offers a particular attraction or activity.
■■ City Center – This is the traditional core of Kuala Lumpur

where you’ll find former colonial administrative center with
the Merdeka Square, Sultan Abdul Samad Building and Se-
langor Club. This district also includes Kuala Lumpur’s old
Chinese commercial center which everyone refers to now as
Chinatown.
■■ Golden Triangle – The area of Kuala Lumpur located to the
northeast of the city center, the Golden Triangle is where
you’ll find the city’s shopping malls, five-star hotels, Petro-
nas Twin Towers and party spots.
■■ Tuanku Abdul Rahman – This is the traditional colourful
shopping district of Kuala Lumpur north of the city center

and moves into high gear when the festivals of Hari Raya
Puasa (Eid ul-Fitr) and Deepavali approach. Located just be-
side the Golden Triangle (northern neighbour) with many
popular budget accommodations. The gigantic Putra World
Trade Centre & the traditional Kampung Baru food haven are
among the most important landmarks.
■■ Brickfields – This area, located south of the city center, is
Kuala Lumpur’s Little India filled with saree shops and ba-
nana leaf rice restaurants. Kuala Lumpur’s main railway sta-
tion – KL Sentral – is located here.
■■ Bangsar and Midvalley – Located south of the city, Bangsar is
a popular restaurant and clubbing district while Midvalley,
with its Megamall, is one of the city’s most popular shopping
destinations.
■■ Damansara and Hartamas – Largely suburban, this two dis-
tricts to the west of the city houses some interesting pockets
of restaurant and drinking areas. This district virtually merg-
es into the northern part of Petaling Jaya.
■■ Ampang – Located east of the city, Ampang is home to Kuala
Lumpur’s Little Korea and most foreign embassies.
■■ Northern suburbs – This huge area to the north of the city is
home to several attractions, such as Batu Caves, the National
Zoo and the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.
■■ Southern suburbs – This district may not interest travellers
although Kuala Lumpur’s main stadium at Bukit Jalil and The
Mines theme park is located here.
Understand
Founded only in 1857 as a tin mining outpost, Kuala Lumpur is
fairly new as far as Malaysian cities go and lacks the rich history
of George Town or Malacca. After rough early years marked
by gang fighting, Kuala Lumpur started to prosper and was
made capital of the Federated Malay States in 1896. Malaysia’s
independence was declared in 1957 in front of huge crowds
at what was later named Stadium Merdeka (Independence
Stadium), and Kuala Lumpur continued as the new nation’s
capital. The economic boom of the 1990s brought KL the
standard trappings of a modern city, bristling with skyscrapers
and modern transportation systems. Like most of Malaysia’s big

18
cities, about 55% of Kuala Lumpur’s population is of Malaysian

Chinese descent.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)

All scheduled jet flights, whether domestic or international,
arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport ( ) located about
50km to the southwest of Kuala Lumpur, in the Sepang district
of Selangor. The US$2.5bil modern structure of glass and steel
was inaugurated in 1998 and has been ranked as one of the top
airports of the world. It replaced the former Sultan Abdul Aziz
Shah International
Airport in Subang,
which is now used
for chartered and
turboprop flights.
Over 50 airlines call at
KLIA.
■ 800px-KLskylin A new Low Cost Carrier

(Correct caption to be inserted)
Terminal (LCCT)
opened in March 2006, and is currently used by AirAsia . Though
the LCC Terminal is across the runway tarmac from the Main
Terminal Building, it is nearly 20km away by road. Frequent
shuttle buses connect the two terminals, costing RM1.50 per
trip. At the Main Terminal Building, catch the shuttles at the Bus
Terminal on the Ground Floor of the Car Park C building, while
at the LCCT, wait for the buses at the bus bays right in front of
the terminal.
Transfers - Main Terminal
By train:
■■ The high-speed KLIA Ekspres links the airport directly with

the KL Sentral transportation hub in Kuala Lumpur in 28mins.
Trains run from 5am to 12 midnight. There is one train every
15mins between 5am and 9am, and between 4pm and 10pm
while trains run every 20mins outside those hours. The cost
of a one-way ticket is RM35. There is no discount on return
tickets. Those using this service to get to KLIA can check in
their baggage at the Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal in KL
Sentral. The city check-in service however is only available to

those flying Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Royal Bru-

nei Airlines although on 13 July 2007, KLIA Ekspres’ opera-
tor Express Rail Link said passengers flying on all 43 airlines
which call at KLIA will be able to check in their luggage at
KL Sentral from 23 July 2007. As of then only Emirates has
started operating. See “Get around” section below on how to
get to/away from KL Sentral.
■■ The KLIA Transit , like the KLIA Ekspres, also links the air-
port with KL Sentral except that it stops at three intermediate
stations - Salak Tinggi, Putrajaya, and Bandar Tasik Selatan.
The journey takes 36mins. The fare from end to end is the
same as for the KLIA Ekspres, which is RM35. Different fares
apply for journeys to the intermediate stations. From KL Sen-
tral, trains run every half hour from 5.33am to 0.03am, while
from KLIA, trains run every half hour from 5.52am to 1am.
You may use of KLIA Ekspres’ check-in services even when
holding a KLIA Transit ticket.
■■ You can also catch KTM Komuter trains to Nilai station and
take a connecting bus to KLIA. The frequent Nilai-KLIA buses
are operated by Airport Coach and Sepang Omnibus. The
entire journey may take about two hours, but the cost is con-
siderably cheaper than the above two options. For example,
the fare from KL Sentral to Nilai is RM4.70 while the bus fare
from Nilai to KLIA is about RM2.50. You can also use the KTM
Komuter to go to other destinations, such as Seremban in
Negeri Sembilan. For other KTM Komuter destinations, see
“Get around” section below.
By bus:
■■ Airport Coach runs a one hourly express bus between KL

Sentral and KLIA from 5am to 10.30pm from Sentral, and
6.30am to 12.30am from KLIA. RM10 one way, or RM18 re-
turn.
■■ Star Shuttle bus runs from KLIA to Chinatown (Kota Raya and
Pudu Raya), RM10 one way.
■■ Sepang Omnibus runs local bus services directly to Serem-
ban in Negeri Sembilan, Banting in Selangor and Sepang
town where you can get connecting buses to/from Port Dick-
son, Negeri Sembilan. The buses may be a little basic and

20
uncomfortable, and do not follow a timetable (at least, not

one that is publicly known).
■■ Both Airport Coach and Sepang Omnibus run frequent buses
between KLIA and Nilai where you continue your journey on
the KTM Komuter. See the “Get around” section below for
details on the KTM Komuter.
Alternatively, you can take the bus to the LCCT then connect to
KLIA.
■■ From KLIA: Only

Airport Limo lim-
ousines and budget
taxis are allowed to
pick up passengers at
the airport. You buy
coupons from Airport
Limo counters just
before you exit the
international arrivals
■ 800px-Kl_monorai
(Correct caption to be inserted) gate, or just outside the
domestic arrivals gate.
Ask for a budget taxi, which is perfectly fine and costs a fixed
RM67.40 to get to Kuala Lumpur otherwise you’ll be given a
misnamed “limousine” that costs an extra RM20.
■■ To KLIA: Any taxi can bring passengers to KLIA, including
Kuala Lumpur’s metered red-and-white taxis, although you
will find it very difficult to get drivers to use the meters. Make
sure you agree on a price before getting into the taxi. Fares
should be between RM60 and RM90.
By road:
If you have your own wheels, KLIA is well connected to Peninsular

Malaysia’s expressway network. The airport is directly linked
with the North South Expressway Central Link (known by its
Malay abbreviation “Elite”) about 70km or nearly one hour
away from Kuala Lumpur city centre. Exit the expressway at
KLIA interchange for both the Main Terminal and LCCT.
Transfers - Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT)

By train:
■■ There are no direct train connections to the LCCT (although

the government has agreed to build one). However, you can
take either train from KL Sentral to the Main Terminal, then
catch the shuttle bus to the LCCT.
By bus:
■■ SkyBus runs direct services every half hour or so from KL

Sentral to the LCCT. RM9 one-way.
■■ Aerobus also runs direct bus services every half hour from
KL Sentral to the LCC Terminal. RM9 one-way, free return
journey.
■■ Star Shuttle (Tel: +60-3-40438811), newly launched in Janu-
ary 2007, has direct buses to the Pekeliling Bus Terminal and
Batu 3 (3rd Mile) Jalan Ipoh in Kuala Lumpur, as well as direct
connections to the Subang Jaya KTM Komuter station and the
PKNS Building in Shah Alam. Check its website for schedules.
Fares are RM9 per trip.
By taxi:
Any taxi can bring passengers to the LCCT, including Kuala

Lumpur’s metered red-and-white taxis, although you will find
it very difficult to get drivers to use the meters. Make sure you
agree on a price before getting into the taxi. Fares should be
between RM60 and RM90.
By road:
The LCCT is about 20km from the Main Terminal and can be
accessed via the KLIA circular or airport cargo road.
Subang Airport
The Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport , more commonly referred
to as the Subang Airport, was the country’s main international
airport until KLIA was opened in 1998. It was designated for
turboprop aircraft and since 19 October 2007, Malaysia Airlines
subsidiary “community airline” Firefly flies daily to/from

22
Tioman Island, five times a week to/from Pangkor Island, and

special flights to Redang Island. It also has two flights weekly to/
from Ko Samui in Thailand.
Getting there/away: The airport is 25 km from the city center and

the best way to get there is by taxi. Rapid KL bus U81 (destination
Mah Sing and Pekan Subang) from the Sultan Mohd Bus Hub
next to the Pasar Seni LRT station goes past the airport. Fare
is RM2 and the ticket is valid for the whole day for all RapidKL
routes with “U” prefix.
By road
Most important roads
in Peninsular Malaysia
lead to/from Kuala
Lumpur. The city
lies about midway
along the North-South
Expressway (NSE;
route numbers E1 and
E2) which runs from
the Malaysia-Thailand
border at Bukit Kayu
■ Kltransi
Hitam, Kedah to Johor
Bahru in the south, on
the Malaysian side of the Causeway to Singapore. The main
expressway exits for Kuala Lumpur on the NSE are Jalan Duta
(from the north) and Sungai Besi (from the south).
The Karak Highway (E8), which later turns into the East Coast
Expressway, links Kuala Lumpur with the East Coast states of
Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.
For those who do not want to pay toll, Kuala Lumpur is on

Federal Route One (the “Trunk Road”) which, like the NSE, runs
through all West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia from Bukit
Kayu Hitam, Kedah to Johor Bahru.
Those travelling along the West Coast Road (Federal Route Five)
should leave the road at Klang and get to Kuala Lumpur via the
Federal Highway.

By bus
Kuala Lumpur has several bus terminals (Malay: stesen bas or
hentian) which handle long distance express bus services; many
destinations are served by more than one terminal.
Puduraya
The biggest (and invariably most crowded) terminal, located in
the city centre near Chinatown. Beware of pickpockets, ticket
touts and other undesirables, especially late at night.
Access: Plaza Rakyat station (Ampang and Sri Petaling Lines) is

within walking distance; many local bus stops nearby.
To/from Hat Yai, in Thailand:
■■ Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung () (Counter 73. Tel:

+60-3-20313036) has departures at 1000 - RM45 one-way.
To/from Singapore:
■■ Transnasional (Tel: +60-3-20703300) is Malaysia’s biggest

long-distance bus company. Economy class departures to
Singapore’s Lavender Street terminal at 0859 - RM30 one-
way and takes 5 hours.
■■ Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung () (Counter 81. Tel:
+60-3-20701321) has several buses daily to/from the Golden
Mile complex in Singapore.
Hentian Putra
Most (but not all) East Coast services use this terminal which is
located to the north of the city centre on Jalan Putra.
Access: PWTC station (Ampang and Sri Petaling Lines) and Putra
station (both KTM Komuter lines) are within walking distance.
Hentian Duta
Many north-bound Transnasional express buses use this
terminal which is located a distance to the west of the city
centre on Jalan Duta.

24
Note that Airport Coach buses to Kuala Lumpur International

Airport (KLIA) no longer use this terminal - they now use KL
Sentral instead.
Access: the only convenient way is by taxi.
Kuala Lumpur Old Railway Station

Now used as a bus terminal, but still handles commuter trains
on both KTM Komuter lines, also accessible via Rapid KL City
Shuttle No. 109, 115.
Plusliner luxury services (under

the brand names “Nice” and
“Platinum Service”) are based
here; destinations include
Penang, Johor Bahru, Singapore,
and Hat Yai in Thailand.
Others
Corus Hotel (on Jalan Ampang)
serves as the terminal for Aeroline
express buses to/from Singapore.
Access: KLCC station is 300m
■ KL_Towe away. Rapid KL City Shuttle No.
(Correct caption to be inserted) 103, 104, 105, 106, 114.
First Coach services to/from Singapore leave from the 1 Utama

shopping mall in Petaling Jaya — considerably less convenient
than their previous location in Bangsar, alas. Access: RapidKL
U82 to KL Sentral. Tel booking: 03-7725 3311
MATIC - Malaysian Tourist Information Complex on Jalan

Ampang serves as Transnasional’s Executive Coach terminal
(Tel: +60-3-21611864). Departures to Singapore (0900 - RM69.90
one-way) and to Penang.
Pekeliling bus terminal is on Jalan Tun Razak to the north of

the city centre, and handles local bus services to some Pahang
destinations like Genting Highlands, Bentong, Raub and
Temerloh. Access: Titiwangsa station is within walking distance.
Rapid KL City Shuttle No. 101, 102, 103, 104, 109.

By train
KTM’s intercity trains arrive at the new KL Sentral railway
station, located (despite the name) a fair distance to the south
of the city center. Take the Putra LRT or KL Monorail to the city
center, or RM10 coupon taxi to most destinations in the city
center.
Most services are available at the station, including showers

(RM5 for shower only, RM15 if you want a towel & toiletries
too).
By boat
Kuala Lumpur is not located by the sea. However, there are
ferry connections to/from Sumatra (Indonesia) at Port Klang,
about 40 km west of Kuala Lumpur. See the Port Klang article
for details on how to get there.
Get around
The first phase of Kuala Lumpur’s ambitious public transport
system is now complete, but there’s still a fair amount of room
for improvement.
By taxi
With RM2 flagfall and RM0.10 for every 200m after the first 2
km, red and white normal taxis are not very expensive in Kuala
Lumpur and are probably the best way to get around, at least
outside the congested peak hours. Note that bright yellow
premium taxis have a RM4 flagfall and also charge a bit more by
kilometer. There are also various small surcharges for radio call
(RM1), baggage (RM1 per piece), etc.
Try to get the driver to use the meter, although this may be
difficult when demand exceeds supply as most cabbies consider
the official rates too low. If you have to bargain, aim for RM5
for short trips, RM10 if going across town. If staying in a fancy
hotel, tell the driver the name of the mall next to it to lower his
expectations.
A few popular places (notably the airport, KL Sentral and

Menara KL) enforce prepaid coupon systems, which generally

26
work out more expensive than using the meter, but cheaper
than bargaining.
Some taxi drivers will hang around near hotels offering tours
similar to those offered by established companies. Feel free to
listen to their offers and bargain with them if you like. Some
of these cabbies are quite knowledgeable and you may end up
with a specially tailored, private tour for less than the cost of an
official tour.
If you get so off the

beaten track that you
need to call a cab:
■■ Comfort Cabs +60-
3-62531313
■■ Sunlight Taxi +60-3-
90575757
■■ Public Cab +603
62592020
■■ Uptown Ace +603
■ 800px-Bombaypoin
(Correct caption to be inserted) 92832333
By car
Driving in Kuala Lumpur can be a nightmare, with heavy traffic,
a convoluted web of expressways and poor signage to guide you
through it all. Reckless drivers are common - Malaysia infamously
has one of the highest road accident rates in the world. Suicidal
motorcyclists will also keep you on your toes.
Do not park at the road of busy districts such as Bangsar, Bukit

Bintang etc. Other cars might lock you in by parking next to you
in the 2nd or 3rd lane. Use covered parking lots or park a bit off
the beaten path and then walk back.
On foot
KL is a notoriously pedestrian-hostile city, with heavy traffic
(and aggressive drivers), few pedestrian crossings / pathways,
and poorly maintained foot-paths. Walking within some districts
(e.g. Chinatown and Bukit Bintang) is feasible but walking long
distance generally is not. Lately, pick-pockets and bag-snatchers

on motorbikes have been a problem, especially in Chinatown

district, so care needs to be taken.
When it rains the sidewalks and streets turn into small rivers
and crossing a street can be an adventure.
See
Kuala Lumpur is one of those cities which is short on must-see
attractions: the real joy lies in wandering randomly, seeing,
shopping and eating your way through it. It’s hot, humid and
sometimes crowded though, so schedule some air-conditioned
downtime in shopping malls or restaurants into your plan. You
may find that most attractions are only crowded on weekends/
holidays and deserted on weekdays.
The following gives a brief description of KL’s attractions

according to district. See the respective district pages for more
details.
The main attractions are spread throughout the city, although

the greatest concentration of places of interest are in the City
Center, where you’ll find the Independence Square (Dataran
Merdeka) where Malaysia’s independence was declared at the
start of Aug 31, 1957; the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and other
Colonial-era buildings surrounding the square; the National
Mosque; the Moorish-style Kuala Lumpur Railway Station which
now houses a mini-museum on Malaysian railway history; many
of KL’s other museums including the National Museum; and the
pretty Lake Gardens to the west. Within the city center is also
the fascinating narrow streets of Chinatown, KL’s traditional
commercial district, with its many Chinese shops and places to
eat.
Another area of interest to the traveller is the Golden Triangle.

Although predominantly a shopping and nightlife district, it
is also home to the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) and the
Petronas Twin Towers, once the world’s tallest building. In
the nearby KL Convention Center is the Aquaria KLCC which
contains some 5,000 varieties of tropical fish. Just south of the
Twin Towers is Menara KL Tower, which is situated on top of
Bukit Nanas (Pineapple Hill), a forest reserve right in the heart

28
of the city. Views from the Tower are far superior than those
from the Petronas Towers, though it is not a particularly easy
place to reach by public transport.
There are also several attractions just outside Kuala Lumpur

which are worth visiting. The Batu Caves in the Northern suburbs
of Kuala Lumpur, are located in a limestone outcrop and are the
focal point of the fascinating annual Thaipusam festival, usually
held in February. The caves are easily accessible by RapidKL bus
U6 from Titiwangsa
station, though ask
the driver to let you
know the correct stop
as the caves are not
immediately obvious.
Malaysia’s National
Zoo (Zoo Negara) is
also located in the
■ KLC
north of the city.
Do
KL is the type of city where the first things that come to mind
when you talking of doing anything is “eating” and “shopping”,
both of which are adequately covered by the Eat and Buy
sections.
Those activities aside, KL has its fair share of sporting

opportunities such as golfing, cycling, running, jogging and
even equestrian. If you’re into rock climbing, the Batu Caves in
Northern Kuala Lumpur is a popular weekend haunt of those
wanting to scale some heights. However, for anything more
strenuous and challenging, you’re better of heading to other
spots in country.
Malaysia is trying to encourage greater cultural expression and

KL has several good theatres and places for performances, such
as the National Theatre (Istana Budaya) and KL Performing
Arts Centre (KLPac) in the northern part of the city, the KL
Philharmonic in KLCC, and the Actors Studio in Bangsar.

You can also get a good dosage of pampering in KL. For those
in search of spas, there are several five-star hotel-connected as
well as independent treatment centers in the Golden Triangle.
You’ll also find heaps of reflexology and foot massage places
everywhere but especially in Bukit Bintang in the Golden
Triangle and Chinatown.
Of course, you can always immerse yourself at The Sampuoton

Fish Spa the first fish therapy designer concept spa in Malaysia.
A unique trait that sets it apart from the rest, the highly-priced
Garra Rufa fishes from Turkey found at the Sampuoton Spa are
known to rejuvenate and relax the soul while providing great
beautification benefits for your whole body.
Buy
There’s some great shopping to be done in Kuala Lumpur. Goods
are available in every price bracket, and while electronics are a
tad more expensive than in Singapore or Hong Kong they can
still be much cheaper than Europe.
Kuala Lumpur’s premier shopping district is the Bukit Bintang

area in the Golden Triangle, named after the street of the same
name, although stores and hotels sprawl in all directions along
Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Imbi. A number of large shopping
malls within the area cater to varying budgets. Fans of electronic
gadgets would delight in the multitude of choices at Low Yat
Plaza, whilst shoppers hunting for the latest in affordable
Asian style should definitely check out Times Square and Bukit
Bintang / Sungei Wang Plaza. Pavilion is a recent addition to the
cluster of shopping malls in this area and houses a wide range of
international retail brands in an ultra-modern complex. There
is also a large shopping mall at KLCC, which is approximately 2
kms walk from the Bukit Bintang area.
Several popular malls lie outside the Golden Triangle. The

Bangsar and Midvalley areas are home to some of the best
shopping malls in KL, namely the MidValley Megamall and the
adjacent upmarket The Gardens, the more cozy Bangsar Village
and Bangsar Shopping Center in Bangsar.

30
There are also many shopping malls in the neighbouring towns

of Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya.
Despite the onslaught of malls, KL still offers some Asian tradition

with traditional shopping streets and markets. The best area for
such shopping is Chinatown in the City Center. This district is
also the best place to hunt for souvenirs, especially in Central
Market, a former produce market which has been converted
into an art and craft market.
Eat
Malaysians are obsessed with
food and it is hardly surprising
that as the country’s capital,
Kuala Lumpur reflects this
love affair with eating. You’ll
be able to find the entire range
of Malaysian cuisine (although
some, especially those from
Penang, argue that what you
get in KL is not the best) as
well as food from around the
world.
■ 450px-Akle
As far as the budget is concerned,
you can eat fairly well for fairly little in KL. Just head to the
roadside stalls and what Malaysians call coffeeshops (kedai
kopi) - a shop which operates like a food court with many stalls
selling a variety of food (mostly Chinese, and hence, non-halal).
Some coffeeshops offer streetside dining by placing their tables
on the sidewalks of roads. Coffeeshops are found on virtually
every street in KL but Chinatown (especially Jalan Sultan, Jalan
Hang Lekir and Jalan Petaling) in the City Center and Jalan Alor
in the Golden Triangle have some of the greatest concentration
of coffeeshops and stalls. They mostly open only at night.
Rivaling the coffeeshops in terms of numbers, as well as the price

of food, are what Malaysians call “Mamak shops” - food outlets
run by Indian Muslims. They can also be found at almost every
street corner in KL. The food is of course halal. The streetside
version, called the “Mamak stall” is also popular. One famous

collection of streetside Mamak stalls is at Jalan Doraisamy near

the Heritage Row (see Tuanku Abdul Rahman page).
Food courts in shopping malls can also provide you with a

good opportunity to sample Malaysian food in more hygienic
conditions, although the prices will be a little higher than
coffeeshops.
KL has a good number of restaurants, some of them offering

better food than others. The Golden Triangle, Bangsar and
Midvalley, Heritage Row and some areas in Damansara and
Hartamas are the usual places for people looking for a restaurant
meal. Beware that most restaurants close by 10 PM, so you’ll
probably need to look for street food if hungry at night.
In terms of ethnicity, Chinatown is the best place to search for

Chinese food, although all kinds of Chinese cuisine, from the
simplest to the most sophisticated, can be found all over KL. Head
to Lebuh Ampang in the City Center and Brickfields for Indian
food. Malay food can be found in Jalan Masjid India, Chow Kit
and Kampung Baru areas in the Tuanku Abdul Rahman district.
Bangsar has many high-end restaurants offering Western food.
If you are dying for Korean food, head to Ampang Jaya. A lot
of Arab and Middle Eastern restaurants have mushroomed in
Bukit Bintang.
Drink
KL has quite a vibrant nightlife and the Golden Triangle is the
epicenter of most of the partying which goes on in the city. Jalan
P. Ramlee, just south of KLCC, is Kuala Lumpur’s central clubbing
area, while the action also spills onto Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan
Ampang, Jalan Pinang and Jalan Perak. Nearby Bukit Bintang
also throbs with action, and its neon-lit nightclubs, many of
them with hostesses, certainly have a more Asian feel to them.
Heritage Row, in the Tuanku Abdul Rahman district, is fast

catching up as a popular nightspot. It occupies a row of
refurbished colonial-era shop houses and is now home to one
of KL’s swankiest clubs and trendy bars. Strictly for well heeled
visitors and locals. It is located on Jalan Doraisamy just off Jalan
Sultan Ismail and Jalan Dang Wangi.

32
Bangsar has long been one of the busiest places in Kuala Lumpur
after the sun goes down. The action is around Jalan Telawi and
its side streets, and is definitely the place to go for clubbing and
deafening music.
Sri Hartamas and Mont Kiara in the Damansara and Hartamas

district have popular pubs and some clubs as well as nice coffee
places. You may be able to find live performances in some of the
outlets.
After a tiring night

out, Malaysians like to
head to Mamak stalls
- basically streetside
stalls or shops
operated by Indian
Muslims - which offer a
range of non-alcoholic
beverages like teh
■ 800px-ColonialShoplot
(Correct caption to be inserted) tarik (frothed tea) and
light food. In fact,
these stalls have also become night hangouts in their own right,
and many outlets have installed wide-screen projectors and TV
where they screen football matches. Most outlets are open 24
hours. They are found all over the city and are a wonderful part
of the Malaysian night scene.
Another trend that has hit Malaysia is the kopitiam fad, basically
a more upmarket version of the traditional Chinese coffeeshop.
These mostly open during the day and offer some of the best
tea and coffee and light meals and snacks like nasi lemak and
the ever popular toast with kaya (coconut jam). If you prefer
Western style coffee, there are many coffee outlets in KL, most
of them part of international and local chains like Starbucks,
Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and San Francisco Coffee. Most of
them can be found in shopping malls.

Sleep
KL’s budget accommodation is mostly found in Chinatown in the
City Centre where a bed for the night can be as little as RM20.
Increasingly, more are opening in the Bukit Bintang and Jalan
Tuanku Abdul Rahman / Chow Kit and Jalan Ipoh areas which
are near the Golden Triangle, where prices are slightly higher
than in Chinatown but you’ll be next to KL’s entertainment,
shopping and dining center. The places also tend to be more
spacious and cozy. Try and avoid any hostels marked Rumah
Tumpangan; these are dodgy boarding houses for foreign
workers or cater to the trade where rooms are rented out by
the hour.
Mid-range hotels are comparatively poor value in KL, and it’s

worth it to spend a little extra (or look a little harder) for a true
luxury hotel on the cheap. KL has a deserved reputation as one
of the world’s cheapest places to experience five-star luxury,
with rooms available for as little as RM250 (at the right time and
with the right discounts). Most of KL’s best hotels are located in
the Golden Triangle, smack in the middle of all the shopping,
dining and entertainment that you will need during your visit
to KL. For travellers between KL and Singapore, the Aeroline
coach terminates outside the making it a convenient place to
stay.
There are some accommodation providers, like , that are located

in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Such hotels provide guests a
bit of convenient isolation from the urban bustle.
Please see the individual KL district pages of a list of places to

stay.
Contact
Internet cafes are quite plentiful in KL and you can find them
in most malls. If you have your own laptop, Maxis’ WLAN
service is the best deal around: as of Dec.07, a prepaid RM15
card gets you unlimited use for two weeks. Few hotels in Kuala
Lumpur offer Internet access in their rooms. However, some
hotels around the KL Sentral station now start to install LAN
cables with Internet access in the rooms. Furthermore, many

34
hotels offer free WiFi access in their lobbies. Free WiFi access
is also available from many dining establishments and shopping
complexes in the city
■■ Malaysia Tourism Centre (MTC), 109 Jalan Ampang (between

KLCC and Dang Wangi), . Formerly MATIC, this tourist in-
formation centre has a wealth of information on Malaysia,
occasional cultural shows, surly staff and semi-crippled but
free PCs for browsing the Net.
■■ Starbucks Coffee
Company, selected
outlets in KL (includ-
ing KL Sentral). Select-
ed outlets of Starbucks
in KL have partnered
with the Time tele-
communications com-
pany to provide free
Zone Wi-Fi service to
customers who have
■ KLchinatow
(Correct caption to be inserted) Wi-Fi-equipped laptops
or PDAs. Outlets which
do not have free Zone Wi-Fi usually have commercial WLAN
services such as Maxis’ WLAN in its place.
■■ Air Asia Counter in KL Sentral Several computers with inter-
net access are available for you to check out the Air Asia web-
site (and maybe glance at your e-mail or the news quickly)
Respect
Kuala Lumpur is a liberal city and wearing shorts, short skirts
and low-cut tops is fine. That said, many temples require
covering up, and you’ll get more respect from officialdom if you
dress up a little.
Also, keep in mind that while you may drink at bars, public
drunkenness is a no-no! You will be robbed while you are at it,
and sooner or later you’ll see yourself in the rear seat of a police
car.

Stay healthy
Tap water is generally safe in Kuala Lumpur, although many
visitors prefer to stick to bottled water anyway. There is no
malaria, but local mosquitoes can carry dengue fever. The only
way to avoid contracting dengue is to prevent bites by the Aedes
mosquito. Citronella coils (called Ubat Nyamuk = “Mosquito
Medicine” locally) are readily available in stores and can be
burned in your hotel room to effectively repel mosquitoes.
Between May and October, KL is occasionally shrouded in dense

haze from forest fires in Sumatra, which can be a health concern
for asthmatics (and pretty unpleasant for everybody). However,
the haze comes and goes quickly, and varies greatly from year to
year: it was terrible in 2006, but nonexistent in 2007.
Stay safe
You’re unlikely to be a victim of violent crime in KL, but
pickpockets are common and bag snatching is on the rise.
Keep a close eye on your valuables in crowds, especially street
markets and public transport (especially during rush hour),
and hold your bag on the side away from the street if there are
motorbikes around.
Taxis are generally safe, but they often refuse to use the meter
and a few cabbies will gouge tourists mercilessly. If they won’t
use the meter, then don’t take that taxi, as by law they are
required to use the meter. However if you are desperate to use
that taxi, agree on the fare in advance, and try to get an estimate
of the cost from a local before you climb on board.
Be careful of a scam that has been going on for years, and

seems to be doing the rounds again - you may be approached
by someone on the street. They tell you that they have a friend
/ relative who is going to your country as a student and needs
some information about living there. They ask you to go back
to their place for 20 minutes to meet the person. When you
get there, the person is out, so they ask you to wait and in the
meantime an uncle or someone likes to play cards. They teach
you how to play and how to win........ and to cut a long story

36
short you end up gambling and losing money, and some people
have had trouble getting away, or have been robbed etc.
Malaysian law requires that visitors carry their passport at all

times, and both police and “RELA” (civil volunteers) carry out
spot checks for illegal immigrants.
Locals are very friendly to the tourists. Greet them well with
warm smile and if they can speak and understand English,
they will be happy to show you
around. Be friendly! If you are
lost, just ask someone on the
street.
Get out
■■ Genting Highlands, 40 min-
utes by road using the East
Coast Highway, has cooler
weather, theme parks for
the kids and a casino for the
adults.
■■ Putrajaya, Malaysia’s mega-
lomaniacal new federal admin-
■ 450px-Berjaya_Times_Squar
(Correct caption to be inserted) istrative centre is 30 km to the
south (20 min by train called
KLIA Transit) along the way to the airport.
■■ Kuala Selangor, 1 hour northwest of KL, is famous for its fire-
flies and seafood restaurants.
■■ Singapore. 55 minutes by plane, 5 hours by bus. A globalised
city with good tourist attractions.
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala-Lumpuro
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
????????
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur

Asia/Malaysia/States and Federal Territories/Kuala Lumpur/

asia/southeastasia/malaysia/kualalumpur
{{guidecity}

38
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur (, Malay and locally or even ), is the capital and
the largest city of Malaysia. The city proper, making up an area
of 244 km2, has an estimated population of 1.6 million in 2006.
It is the fastest growing metropolitan region in the country, in
terms of population as well as economy.
Kuala Lumpur is the

seat of the Parliament
of Malaysia, making
it the country’s
legislative capital. The
city was once home
to the executive and
judicial branches
of the federal
■ 800px-CentralMarke government, but they
(Correct caption to be inserted) have since moved to
Putrajaya starting in
1999. Some sections of the judiciary remain in the capital. The
official residence of the Malaysian King, the Istana Negara, is
also situated in Kuala Lumpur. The city is also the cultural and
economic center of Malaysia due to its position as the capital as
well as being a primate city. Kuala Lumpur is rated as a gamma
world city, and is the only global city in Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur is defined within the borders of the Federal

Territory of Kuala Lumpur and is one of three Malaysian Federal
Territories. It is an enclave within the state of Selangor, on the
central west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Residents of the city
are known as KLites.
Beginning in the 1990s, the city has played host to many

international sporting, political and cultural events including
the 1998 Commonwealth Games and the Formula One World
Championship.

History
Kuala Lumpur has its origins in the 1850s, when the Malay Chief
of Klang, Raja Abdullah, hired some Chinese labourers to open
new and larger tin mines. They landed at the confluence of
Sungai Gombak and Sungai Klang (Klang River) to open mines
at Ampang. Sungai Gombak was previously known as Sungai
Lumpur, which means muddy river. The city thus derived the
name Kuala Lumpur which literally means “muddy confluence”
in Bahasa Malaysia. Later, tin mines were opened at Pudu and
Batu. Among the early notable pioneers are Hiu Siew and Liu
Ngim Kong.
These mines became a trading post and was considered a

frontier town with many problems including the Selangor Civil
War; it was also plagued by diseases and constant fires and
floods. In 1880, the state capital of Selangor was moved from
Klang to the more strategically advantageous Kuala Lumpur.
In 1881, a flood swept through the town following a fire which

engulfed it earlier. These successive problems destroyed the
town’s structures of wood and atap (thatching). As a response,
Frank Swettenham, the British Resident of Selangor, required
that buildings be constructed of brick and tile.
A mixture of different communities settled in various sections

of Kuala Lumpur. The Chinese mainly settled around the
commercial centre of Market Square, east of Klang River, and
towards Chinatown. The Malays, Indian Chettiars, and Indian
Muslims resided along Java Street (now Jalan Tun Perak). The
Padang, now known as Merdeka Square, was the center of the
British administrative offices.
During World War II, Kuala Lumpur was captured by the Japanese
army on January 11, 1942. They remained in occupation until
August 15, 1945, when the commander in chief of the Japanese
Seventh Area Army in Singapore and Malaya, Seishiro Itagaki,
surrendered to the British administration following the Atomic
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Kuala Lumpur grew
through the war, the rubber and tin commodity crashes and
the Malayan Emergency, during which Malaya was preoccupied

40
with the communist insurgency. Kuala Lumpur remained the

capital through the formation of Malaysia on September 16,
1963.
On May 13, 1969, one of the worst racial riots in Malaysia

took place in Kuala Lumpur. and led to a major reform in the
country’s economic policy.
Kuala Lumpur later achieved city status in 1972, becoming the

first settlement in
Malaysia to be granted
the status after
independence. Later,
on February 1, 1974,
Kuala Lumpur became
a Federal Territory.
Kuala Lumpur ceased
to be the capital of
Selangor in 1978 after
■ KL_view_from_Skybridg
the city of Shah Alam
was declared as the
new state capital.
In 1998, another political movement known as Reformasi took

place mainly in this city.
On February 1, 2001, Putrajaya was declared a Federal Territory,

as well as Malaysia’s capital. The administrative and judicial
functions of the government were shifted from Kuala Lumpur
to Putrajaya. Kuala Lumpur however still retained its legislative
function, and remained the home of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
(King).
In November 2007, two of the largest political rallies since 1998

took place in the city—the Bersih rally on November 10 and the
HINDRAF rally on November 25. The Bersih rally was organised
by a number of non-governmental organisations and opposition
political parties to demand electoral reform in the country
with about 50,000 people taking to the streets. The HINDRAF
rally was organised by HINDRAF (Hindu Rights Action Front)

and was attended by at least 30,000 mainly ethnic Indian

protesters demanding equal social and economic rights from
the Bumiputras.
Geography
The geography of Kuala Lumpur is characterized by a huge valley
known as Klang Valley. The valley is bordered by the Titiwangsa
Mountains in the east, several minor ranges in the north and
the south and the Strait of Malacca in the west. Kuala Lumpur
is a Malay term which translates to “muddy confluence” as it is
located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers.
Located in the center of Selangor state, Kuala Lumpur was

previously under the rule of Selangor State Government. In
1974, Kuala Lumpur was separated from Selangor to form
the first Federal Territory governed directly by the Malaysian
Federal Government. Its location on the west coast of Peninsular
Malaysia, which has wider flat land than the east coast, has
contributed to its faster development relative to other cities in
Malaysia.
The municipality of the city covers an area of 243.65 km2 (94.07

sq mi), with an average elevation of 21.95 m (72 ft).
Weather
Protected by the Titiwangsa Mountains in the east and
Indonesia’s Sumatra Island in the west, Kuala Lumpur has a
year-round equatorial climate which is warm and sunny, along
with plentiful rainfall, especially during the southwest monsoon
from September to April. Temperatures tend to remain
constant. Maximums hover between 31°C and 33°C (88-92°F)
and have never exceeded 37°C (99°F), while minimums hover
between 22°C and 23.5°C (71-74°F) and have never fallen below
19°C (66°F). Kuala Lumpur typically receives 2,266 mm (93.1”)
of rain annually; June and July are relatively dry, but even then
rainfall typically exceeds 125 mm (5”) per month.
Flooding is a frequent occurrence in Kuala Lumpur whenever

there is a heavy downpour, especially in the city centre and
downstream areas. Dust particles from forest fires from nearby
Sumatra sometimes cast a haze over the region. It is a major

42
source of pollution in the city together with open burning,

emission from motor vehicles and construction work.
Demographics
Kuala Lumpur also has a mix of different cultures. Unlike the
whole of Malaysia, where Malays comprise the ethnic majority,
the majority of Kuala Lumpur residents are Chinese.
Malays speak the national language

of Bahasa Melayu and are also
able to converse in English; some
even Mandarin and Tamil. Malays
form the bulk of the members
of Parliament and dominate the
political scene in Malaysia..
In the late 18th century, when

Europe was experiencing the
Industrial Revolution, large
groups of Chinese from Fujian
and Guangdong in China were
brought in to Malaya to work in
■ 401px-Torres_Petronas_
(Correct caption to be inserted) the booming tin mining industry.
The Chinese in Kuala Lumpur
speak different dialects but the majority in Kuala Lumpur
are of Cantonese descent, followed by the Hokkiens and the
Hakkas. Similarly, due to the education system provided by the
government, Chinese in Kuala Lumpur are able to converse in
English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and are able to bridge the
divide among the local dialects.
Indians formed 10% of the population in Kuala Lumpur in

2000. Historically, most of the Indians were brought in during
the British colonisation of the Malaysia. Most Indians practise
Hinduism and speak Tamil or Hindi and English. Most of their
customs and traditions are intricately tied with their religion.
Hence, during the Hindu festivals such as Deepavali, Indians
will perform colourful rites and visit temples.

Malay is the official language but English is widely spoken in the

city especially in business and is a required subject in all schools.
Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hakka, Hokkien,
Hainan) and some Indian and Pakistani languages (Tamil,
Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi, Pashtu) as well as the languages of
migrant workers (Indonesian, Nepalese, Vietnamese, etc.) are
also spoken in the city.
The city has many places of worship catering to the multi-

religious population. Islam is practised primarily by the Malays
and the Indian Muslim communities while other religions
include Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism (mainly among
Chinese), Hinduism (among Indians) and Christianity.
Due to the rapid development in Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur

which requires a large workforce, foreign workers from
Indonesia, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Bangladesh, Vietnam and
China were brought into Malaysia.
Population statistics
The estimated population of Kuala Lumpur in 2006 was 1.58
million. With a population density of 6,502 people per km2, it is
the most densely populated administrative district in Malaysia.
With an estimated metropolitan population of 6.9 million in
2007, it can be considered a primate city. The continuing decline
in the birth rate for Kuala Lumpur has resulted in the decline in
the proportion of young people below 15 years old from 33%
in 1980 to slightly less than 27% in 2000. On the other hand,
the working age group of 15-59 increased from 63% in 1980 to
67% in 2000. The elderly age group, 60 years old and above has
increased from 4% in 1980 and 1991 to 6% in 2000.
Based on the census of the Department of Statistics, the

percentage of Bumiputra population was around 38% in 2000
while the Chinese population comprised 43% and Indians 10%.
A notable phenomenon has been the increase in the presence
of foreign residents in Kuala Lumpur, who now constitute about
9% of the city’s population.
Crime in Kuala Lumpur has been a concern of residents in recent

years. Among the crimes showing increasing rates were snatch

44
theft, drug addiction, gambling and vice.. These problems have

been associated with the rising numbers of immigrants from
Indonesia and Myanmar. Some of them are brought in with the
promise of low to medium grade salary.
Local government
The local administration is carried out by the Kuala Lumpur
City Hall, an agency under the Federal Territories Ministry of
Malaysia. They are responsible for public health and sanitation,
waste removal and management, town planning, environmental
protection and
building control,
social and economic
development and
general maintenance
functions of urban
infrastructure.
Executive power lies
with the mayor in
the city hall, who is
■ 800px-Kuala_Lumpur_Sultan_Abdul_Buildin
appointed for three
years by the Federal
Territories Minister. This system of appointing the mayor has
been in place ever since the local government elections were
suspended in 1970.
Since Kuala Lumpur became a Federal Territory of Malaysia

on February 1 1974, the city has been led by eight mayors. The
current mayor of Kuala Lumpur is Datuk Abdul Hakim Borhan,
who is in his first term of office. (2 December 2006)
.Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur He was appointed in 2006.
Politics
Kuala Lumpur is home to the Parliament of Malaysia. The
parliament is composed of a lower House of Representatives
(Dewan Rakyat) and an upper House of Senate (Dewan Negara).
The city is represented in the lower House of Representatives
by eleven Members of Parliament (MPs), who are elected to five-
year terms. Traditionally, political leanings in Kuala Lumpur
have been dominated by Barisan Nasional (BN), with seven
representatives from BN and the other four from the Democratic
Action Party (DAP) prior to the 2008 General Elections. After the

2008 elections BN was left with just one representative, Federal

Territories Minister Zulhasnan Rafique, in the Setiawangsa seat.
DAP took control of five seats, Parti Keadilan Rakyat taking
four seats, and PAS one seat, marking the first time in which
the majority of the Federal Territory’s constituencies was
dominated by opposition parties.
Economy
Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding urban areas form the most
industrialized and economically the fastest growing region in
Malaysia.
In short the city remains the economic and business center of

the country. In fact the city is a center for finance, insurance,
real estate, media and the arts in Malaysia. The infrastructure
development in the surrounding areas such as the Kuala
Lumpur International Airport at Sepang, the creation of the
Multimedia Super Corridor and the expansion of Port Klang
further reinforce the economic significance of the city.
Bursa Malaysia or the Malaysia Exchange is based in the city and

forms one of its core economic activities. As of 20 November,
2007, the market capitalisation stood at US$318.65 billion.
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Kuala Lumpur is estimated

at RM25,968 million in 2000 with an average annual growth rate
of 4.2 percent. The per capita GDP for Kuala Lumpur in year
2000 is RM30,727, an average annual growth rate of 6.1 percent.
The total employment in Kuala Lumpur is estimated at around
838,400. The service sector comprising finance, insurance, real
estate, business services, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants
and hotels, transport, storage and communication, utilities,
personal services and government services form the largest
component of employment representing about 83.0 percent of
the total. The remaining 17 percent comes from manufacturing
and construction.
The large service sector is evident in the number of local and

foreign banks and insurance companies operating in the city.
Kuala Lumpur is poised to become the global Islamic Financing
hub with an increasing number of financial institutions

46
providing Islamic Financing and the strong presence of Gulf’s

financial institutions such as the world’s largest islamic bank,
Al-Rajhi Bank and Kuwait Finance House. Apart from that, the
Dow Jones & Company is keen to work with Bursa Malaysia to
set up Islamic Exchange Trade Funds (ETFs), which would help
raise Malaysia’s profile in the Gulf. The city has a large number
of foreign corporations and is also host to many multi national
companies’ regional offices or support centres, particularly for
finance and accounting, and information technology functions.
■ 800px-KL-night_skylin
Most of the countries’ largest companies have their headquarters

based here and as of December 2007 and excluding Petronas,
there are 14 companies that are listed in Forbes 2000 based in
Kuala Lumpur.
Other important economic activities in the city are education and

health services. Kuala Lumpur also has advantages stemming
from the high concentration of educational institutions located
within its boundaries, providing a wide range of courses.
Such public institutions include the University of Malaya, the
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, International Medical University
and the Medical Faculty of the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
There are also a large number of private colleges, including
the Universiti Tun Abdul Razak and Tunku Abdul Rahman
College, in and around Kuala Lumpur providing a wide range
of courses which attract students from all over Malaysia as well
as from other countries. There are numerous public and private
medical specialist centres and hospitals in the city which offer
general health services and a wide range of specialist surgery
and treatment catering to locals and tourists.

There has been growing emphasis to expand the economic

scope of the city into other service activities such as research
and development which supports the rest of the economy of
Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur has been home for years to important
research centers such as the Rubber Research Institute of
Malaysia, the Forest Research Institute Malaysia and the Institute
of Medical Research and more research centers are expected to
be established in the coming years.
Tourism
The tourism sector also plays an important part in the city’s
economy, providing income, employment and expanding
business opportunities. As an extension of this, many large
worldwide hotel chains have presence in the city. Kuala Lumpur
has also developed into an international shopping destination
with a wide variety of shopping centres and mega malls which
carry well-known global and local brands. Conference tourism
has also expanded in recent years and is becoming a very
important component of the industry.
Major destinations include the House of Parliament, Kuala

Lumpur Tower, Putra World Trade Centre, Dataran Merdeka,
Tugu Negara, Istana Negara, Istana Budaya, mosque such as
the Masjid Negara and the Federal Territory Mosque, Muzium
Negara, and other tourist attractions including Aquaria KLCC,
Makam Pahlawan, National Science Centre, Eye on Malaysia,
Zoo Negara, Batu Caves, and events such as the Chinese cultural
festivals at the Thean Hou Temple and the Thaipusam procession
at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple. The Golden Triangle, the
commercial hub of the city, contains the Petronas Twin Towers
and has a distinctive nightlife. Trendy nightclubs, bars and
lounges, such as Hard Rock Cafe, Zouk, Thai Club, Beach Club
(voted Best Bar in Asia), Luna Bar, Rum Jungle, Nuovo, Espanda
and many others are located within and around Jalan P. Ramlee,
Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang.
Hotels, from five-star to budget types, have cropped up

everywhere to accommodate the influx of tourists each year.
While there are many hotels near Kuala Lumpur’s entertainment
and business districts, some have chosen to veer away from the
hustle and bustle.

48
Retail
Kuala Lumpur alone has 66 shopping malls and it is the retail
and fashion hub for Malaysia. Shopping in Malaysia contributes
RM7.7 billion (USD 2.26 billion) or 20.8 percent of the RM31.9
billion tourism receipts in 2006. and Kuala Lumpur, as Malaysia’s
retail hub, plays a big role in attracting consumers. Suria KLCC
is one of Malaysia’s premier shopping destinations due to its
location beneath the Petronas Twin Towers, the world’s tallest
twin towers and second and third-tallest singular towers. Apart
from Suria KLCC, Bukit Bintang, which resembles Tokyo’s Ginza,
New York’s Fifth Avenue and Singapore’s Orchard Road has the
highest concentration of shopping outlets in Kuala Lumpur.
Bukit Bintang which is part of the Kuala Lumpur’s Golden
Triangle, spans over 3 roads which are Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan
Imbi and Jalan Sultan Ismail. It houses various cafes, alfresco
dining outlets and shopping complexes namely Berjaya Times
Square, Bukit Bintang Plaza, Imbi Plaza, Kuala Lumpur Plaza,
Low Yat Plaza, Starhill Gallery, Sungei Wang Plaza, Lot 10, and
Pavilion KL. Furthermore, the Bangsar district also has a few
shopping complexes. Mid Valley Megamall, The Gardens and
Bangsar Village are a few to be named. Damansara area in
the north-west of Kuala Lumpur is the home of IKEA outlet,
locally operated Ikano Power Centre, The Curve shopping mall,
Cathay Multi Screen Cinemas and 1 Utama, another mega mall
is situated less than one kilometre away.
Apart from shopping complexes, Kuala Lumpur has designated

numerous zones in the city to market locally manufactured
products such as textiles, fabrics and handicrafts. The Chinatown
of Kuala Lumpur, or commonly known as Petaling Street, is one
of them. Chinatown features many pre-independence buildings
with Straits Chinese and European traditions influence. The
Kuala Lumpur’s Central Market, which was once the city’s wet
market, offers an assortment of arts and craft merchandise,
varying from antiques and paintings to souvenirs and clothing.
It is also known as Pasar Seni in Malay.
Since 2000, the Ministry of Tourism of Malaysia has kick-started

the mega sale event for all shopping in Malaysia. The mega sale

event is held thrice in a year—in March, May and December—

where all shopping malls are encouraged to participate to boost
Kuala Lumpur as a leading shopping destination.
Architecture
The architecture of Kuala Lumpur is a blend of old colonial
influences, Asian traditions, Malay Islamic inspirations, modern,
and postmodern architecture mix. Being a relatively young city
compared with other Southeast Asian capitals such as Bangkok,
Jakarta and Manila, most of Kuala Lumpur’s colonial buildings
were built toward the end of 19th and early 20th century. These
buildings have Moorish, Tudor, Neo-Gothic or Grecian-Spanish
style or architecture. Most of the styling has been modified to
use local resources and acclimatized to the local climate, which
is hot and humid all year around.
Prior to the Second World War, many shophouses, usually two

storeys with functional shops on the ground floor and separate
residential spaces upstairs, were built around the old city center.
These shop-houses drew inspiration from Straits Chinese and
European traditions. Some of these shophouses have made way
for new developments but there are still many standing today
around Medan Pasar (Old Market Square), Chinatown, Jalan
Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Doraisamy, Bukit Bintang and
Tengkat Tong Shin areas.
Independence coupled with the rapid economic growth from

the 1970s to the 1990s and with Islam being the official religion
in the country, has resulted in the construction of buildings
with a more local and Islamic flavour arise around the city.
Many of these buildings derive their design from traditional
Malay items such as the songkok and the keris. Some of these
buildings have Islamic geometric motifs integrated with
the designs of the building, signifying Islamic restriction on
imitating nature through drawings. Examples of these buildings
are Menara Telekom, Menara Maybank, Dayabumi Complex,
and the Islamic Center. Some buildings such as the Islamic Arts
Museum Malaysia and National Planetarium have been built to
masquerade as a place of worship, complete with dome and
minaret, when in fact it is a place of science and knowledge. The

50
452 metre tall Petronas Twin Towers were designed to resemble

motifs found in Islamic art.
Late modern and postmodern architecture began to appear

in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Buildings with all glass shell
appears around the city, with the most prominent example
being the Petronas Twin Towers and Kuala Lumpur Convention
Centre.
Kuala Lumpur’s central business district today has shifted

around the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) where many new
and tall buildings with modern and postmodern architecture fill
the skyline.
Parks
The Perdana Lake Gardens, a 92 hectare manicured garden
near the Malaysian Parliament building, was once home to
a British colonial official. The park includes a Butterfly Park,
Deer Park, Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden and Kuala Lumpur
Bird Park, Southeast Asia’s largest bird park. Other parks in the
city include, the ASEAN Sculpture Garden, Kuala Lumpur City
Centre Park (KLCC), Titiwangsa Lake Gardens, Metropolitan
Lake Gardens in Kepong, Forest Research Institute Malaysia,
Taman Tasik Permaisuri (Queen’s Lake Gardens), Bukit Kiara
Botanical Gardens, Equestrian Park and West Valley Park near
TTDI, and Bukit Jalil International Park.
There are three forest reserves within the city namely the Bukit
Nanas Forest Reserve in the city center, the oldest gazetted
forest reserve in the country (10.52 hectares), Bukit Sungai
Putih Forest Reserve (7.41 hectares) and Bukit Sungai Besi Forest
Reserve (42.11 hectares). Bukit Nanas, in the heart of the City
Centre, is one of the oldest virgin forests in the world within a
city. These residual forest areas are home to a number of fauna
species particularly monkeys, tree shrews, squirrels and birds.
Arts
Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cultural activities and events in
Malaysia. Among the centres is the National Museum which is
situated along the Mahameru Highway. Its collection comprises
artifacts and paintings collected throughout the country.

Kuala Lumpur also has an Islamic Arts Museum which houses

more than seven thousands Islamic artefacts including rare
exhibits from China as well as a library of Islamic art books. This
museum features some impressively decorated domes and large
open exhibition spaces. It is located at Jalan Lembah Perdana
next to the National Mosque.
The premier performing arts venue is the Petronas Philharmonic

Hall. The resident orchestra is the Malaysian Philharmonic
Orchestra (MPO), consisting of musicians from all over the world
and features regular concerts, chamber concerts and traditional
cultural performances.
The National Art Gallery of Malaysia is located on Jalan Temerloh,

off Jalan Tun Razak on a 5.67 hectare site neighbouring
the National Theater (Istana Budaya) and National Library.
The architecture of the gallery incorporates elements of
traditional Malay architecture, as well as contemporary modern
architecture. The National Art Gallery serves as a centre of
excellence and trustee of the national art heritage.
The Petronas Art Gallery, another centre for fine art, is situated
in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). The Galeri Tangsi near
Dataran Merdeka houses exhibitions of works by local and
foreign artists.
The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) in Sentul

West is one of the most established centres for the performing
arts, notably theatre, music, and film screening, in the country.
It has housed many local productions and has been a supporter
of local and regional independent performance artists. One of
the highlights in 2006 was the KL Sing Song 2006 music fest
which featured Malaysian singer-songwriters of various cultural
backgrounds, from both West and East Malaysia, through two
days of performances and workshops.
Kuala Lumpur holds the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival

annually. Another event hosted annually by the city is the Kuala
Lumpur Fashion Week, which includes international brands as
well as local designers.

52
Sports and recreation

Kuala Lumpur has numerous parks and open spaces for
recreational purposes. Total open space for recreational and
sport facilities land use in the city has increased significantly
by 169.6 percent from 586 hectares in 1984 to 1,580 hectares in
2000.
Kuala Lumpur is one of the host cities for the Formula One
World Championship, the open-wheel auto racing A1 Grand
Prix and the Motorcycle Grand Prix with races being held
at Sepang International Circuit in the neighbouring state of
Selangor, next to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The Formula One event contributes significantly to tourist
arrivals and tourism income to Kuala Lumpur. This is evident
during the Asian Financial Crisis in 1998. Despite cities around
Asia suffering declining tourist arrivals, Kuala Lumpur tourist
arrivals increased from 6,210,900 in 1997 to 10,221,600 in 2000,
or 64.6% increase in tourist arrivals.
KL Grand Prix CSI 5*, a five-star international showjumping

equestrian event is held annually in the city. This annual
event draws the world’s top riders and their prized horses to
Malaysia.
Other annual sport events hosted by the city include the KL

Tower Run, the KL Tower International BASE Jump Merdeka
Circuit and the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon. Kuala
Lumpur is also one of the stages of the Tour de Langkawi cycling
race.
The annual Malaysia Open Super Series badminton tournament

is held in Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur has a considerable array of sports facilities of

international class after hosting the 1998 Commonwealth Games.
Many of these facilities including the main stadium (with running
track and a football field), hockey stadium and swimming pools
are located in the National Sports Complex at Bukit Jalil while a
velodrome and more swimming pools are located in Bandar Tun
Razak, next to the Taman Tasik Permaisuri Lake Gardens. There

are also soccer fields, local sports complexes, swimming pools

and tennis courts scattered around the suburbs. Badminton and
‘takraw’ courts are usually included in community halls.
Kuala Lumpur has several golf courses including the Kuala

Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) and the Malaysia Civil
Service Golf Club in Kiara and the Berjaya Golf Course at Bukit
Jalil.
The city also has numerous large private fitness centers run by
California Fitness, Fitness First, Celebrity Gym, True Fitness
and the major five star hotels.
Media
There are several newspapers, including daily newspapers,
business newspapers and also a digital newspaper, based in
Kuala Lumpur. Daily newspapers include Utusan Malaysia,
Berita Harian, Harian Metro, The Star, New Straits Times, The
Sun, Malay Mail, Kosmo! as well as other language newspapers.
Kuala Lumpur is also the headquarters for Malaysia’s state
broadcaster RTM and commercial station TV3. Programmes are
broadcast in Malay, English, Chinese and Tamil.
The city is also home to the country’s main pay-TV service,

Astro, a satellite television service, which broadcasts local and
global television channels such as CNN, BBC World, Star World
and HBO. Al-Jazeera, the Doha-based Arab news network has
launched a new English-speaking channel called Al-Jazeera
English to boost its international viewership with one of its
broadcast centers based in Kuala Lumpur. Phoenix TV, a
Hong Kong based television broadcaster has also announced
plans to expand its regional business by partnership with local
satellite TV provider, Astro. The Hong Kong office of Channel
V International, an international music channel, relocated its
programme production unit in Kuala Lumpur by appointing the
local company Double Vision Sdn Bhd.
In March 2008, Time Out, the international listings and events
magazine, launched in Kuala Lumpur as its 24th global city.
Kuala Lumpur has been featured in all aspects of popular culture

such as movies, television, music and books. Movies set in Kuala

54
Lumpur includes Entrapment, starring Sean Connery and

Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Children of Men, (starring Clive Owen)
where the Petronas Twin Towers were depicted in flames for a
few seconds. Books which were set in Kuala Lumpur include KL
24/7 by Ida M Rahim, Shireen Zainudin and Rizal Zainudin and
Democracy by Joan Didion. Kuala Lumpur is also mentioned in
many songs by local Malaysian artists such as Keroncong Kuala
Lumpur by P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur, Ibu Kota by Saloma, Chow
Kit Road by Sudirman Arshad, Senyumlah Kuala Lumpur by
Alleycats, Streets of Kuala Lumpur by Murkyway, K.L. by Vandal,
Kuala Lumpur by Poetic Ammo, Anak Dara by Azmyl Yunor and
KL by Too Phat. Kuala Lumpur was also one of the destinations
in The Amazing Race Asia and The Amazing Race. Games have
also been set in Kuala Lumpur. They include three levels of
the game Silent Assassin and two levels of the playstation 2
game Burnout Dominator. “Scampi”, one of Weebl’s cartoons,
features Kuala Lumpur as one of the things the military man
mentions in disguise, disguised as France.
Transportation
Unlike most other Asian cities, driving is the main mode
of commuting in Kuala Lumpur. High speed roadways, or
expressways are tolled roadways, and motorist using these
expressways have an option of paying by cash, or by stored
value cards such as Touch ‘n Go and SmartTAG.
In terms of air connectivity, Kuala Lumpur is served by two

airports. The main airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport
(KLIA), which is also the aviation hub of Malaysia, is located about
50 km south of city. The other airport is Subang Airport which
used to be the main international airport serving the city until
KLIA replaced it when it opened in 1998. The airport connects
the city with direct flights to destinations in six continents
around the world, and is the main hub for the national carrier,
Malaysia Airlines. KLIA can be reached using the KLIA Ekspres
high-speed train service from KL Sentral which takes only
twenty-eight minutes, while travelling by car via highway will
take about an hour. As of 2007, Subang Airport is only used for
chartered and turboprops flights by airlines such as Firefly and
Berjaya Air.

Public transport on Kuala Lumpur and the rest of the Klang

Valley covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and
taxi. Despite efforts to promote usage of public transportation,
utilisation rates are low as only 16 percent of the population
used public transportation in 2006. The rapid transit system
in Kuala Lumpur consists of three separate rail systems which
meet in the city and extends towards other parts of Klang
Valley. The rail systems are RapidKL RAIL, KL Monorail, and
KTM Komuter. These lines have either underground or elevated
stations around the city. The main rapid transit hub is KL Sentral
which facilitates as an interchange station for the rail systems.
KL Sentral is also a hub for intercity railway operated by KTM
Intercity. It provides rail services to as far as Singapore in the
south, and Hat Yai, Thailand, in the north.
The largest public transportation operator in Kuala Lumpur and

the Klang Valley is RapidKL. Since the take over from Intrakota
Komposit Sdn Bhd, RapidKL has redrawn the entire bus network
of Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley metropolitan area to increase
ridership and improve Kuala Lumpur’s public transportation
system. The management of RapidKL has adopted the hub and
spoke system to provide greater connectivity, and cut down the
need of more buses. RapidKL is also the operator of three rapid
transit rail lines in Kuala Lumpur, namely Ampang Line, Sri
Petaling Line and Kelana Jaya Line.
Kuala Lumpur is served by Port Klang, located about 64 km (40

mi) southwest of the city. The port is the largest and busiest in
the country handling about of cargo in 2006.
Education
According to government statistics, Kuala Lumpur has a literacy
rate of 97.5% in 2000, the highest rate in any state or territory
in Malaysia.
In Malaysia, Malay is the language of instruction for most
subjects while English is a compulsory subject and is used as
the language of instruction for mathematics and the natural
sciences. There are also schools which provide Mandarin and
Tamil as languages of instruction for certain subjects.

56
In Kuala Lumpur alone, there are 13 tertiary education

institutions, 79 high schools, 155 elementary schools and 136
kindergartens.
There are several notable institutions located in the city which

have existed for more than 100 years, such as, St. John’s
Institution (since 1904); Victoria Institution (1893); Convent
Bukit Nanas (1899); Methodist Girls’ School, Kuala Lumpur
(1896) and Methodist Boys’ School (1897).
Kuala Lumpur is home to the University of Malaya. Established in

1962, it is the oldest university in Malaysia, and one of the oldest
in the region. It is also the most prestigious tertiary institution
in Malaysia, having been ranked first among the universities in
Malaysia in the 2004 THES international rankings. In recent
years, the number of international students at University of
Malaya has risen, a result of increasing efforts made to attract
more international students.
Other universities located in Kuala Lumpur include International

Medical University, Open University Malaysia, Universiti Kuala
Lumpur, Wawasan Open University and the branch campus
of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia. Apart from these, universities located around
Kuala Lumpur include Monash University Malaysia Campus,
Taylor’s University College, Limkokwing University Of Creative
Technology and others.
The National Defence University of Malaysia is located at Sungai

Besi Army Base, at the southern part of central Kuala Lumpur.
It was established to be a major centre for military and defence
technology studies. This institution covers studies in the field of
army, navy, and air force.

Sister cities
■■ Ankara, Turkey
■■ Casablanca, Morocco
■■ Esfahan, Iran
■■ Malacca, Malaysia (April 15, 1989)
■■ Mashhad, Iran (October 2006)
■■ Osaka, Japan

58
Events
Thursday, June 19, 2008
13th International Congress on Infectious

Diseases ICID
International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID). Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. 617-277-0551, fax: 617-278-9113, email:
DATE: Jun 19—Jun, 22 2008
VENUE: Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya,
Malaysia
Friday, June 20, 2008
KL Wedding Expo
As there is a step of rise along with the Malaysia overall economy
and the employment rate, the trend of escalation in the number
of married couples should be continued in 2007. KL Wedding
Expo will spare no effort to continue to promote and develop
the local bridal industry. The 4th KL Wedding Expo is Kuala
Lumpur’s premier wedding event showcasing bridal ideas by KL
most elite multi-racial wedding specialists all under one roof.
VENUE: Mid Valley Exhibition Centre
KL WEDDING EXPO 2008

Wedding Expo
VENUE: MidValley Exhibition Center
ADDRESS: 50400 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur , 16
French Speakers de Kuala Lumpur June Meeting

19:00 Start of Meeting Election of Meeting chairman and
secretary Discussion on programs for next 2 meetings
DATE: Jun 20


Malaysia
Saturday, June 21, 2008
WORKSHOP ON INTRODUCTION TRADE FINANCE

Malaysia
The Kuala Lumpur Intentional Communities (Co-

Housing) June Meeting
The biggest perspective of Intentional Communities: SOHO (Small
Office Home Office) Movement (leading to COHO and COCO) It is
certainly interesting to explore the background, history, current
status and possible future development of the SOHO (Small
Office Home Office) movement (it can definitely be considered
as quiet social movement, particularly in connection with and in
the context of the Network Economy). However, our objectives
and concerns here are more pragmatic, by concentrating our
attention on the following three aspects: ?Business / Enterprise
Development ?Personal / Family Development ?Social and
Ecosystem Development These will be discussed in the context
of the following five stages / phases of the SOHO movement:
?Small Office Home Office (SOHO) ?Mobile Office Home Office
(MOHO) ?Co-Working facilities and services (COWO) ?Intentional
Community and Co-Housing (COHO) ?Cooperation Commons
(COCO) Although the above stages / phases are not necessarily
linear and sequential, the listed order could be convenient and
useful for discussion purposes, particularly if we are to view
these stages / phases in the context of Business Development
/ Personal Development / Social and Ecosystem Development
in line with the Triple Bottom Line (Profit / People / Planet).
In fact, an innovative and fully functional Business Model
incorporating the 3-Objectives + 5-Stages would be the biggest
and ultimate perspective of the SOHO movement (leading to
COHO and COCO).
DATE: Jun 21

60

Malaysia
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The Kuala Lumpur RPG Meeting
DATE: Jun 22
Malaysia
Monday, June 23, 2008
Detection & Preventive Measure of Financial

Fraud

Malaysia
BUILDING INSPECTION IN MALAYSIA

Malaysia
Effective Capital Budgeting, Operation Funds

Management and Financial Requirements
Projection

Malaysia
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Waste Minimisation & Energy Efficiency

Title: Waste Minimisation & Energy Efficiency

Date: Jun. 24, 2008 - Aug. 25, 2008

Location: Kuala Lumpur
Contact now / Register

DATE: Jun 24—Aug, 25 2008
Malaysia
ASIA PACIFIC COATINGS SHOW 2008

Show dedicated to the Coatings Industry
VENUE: Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC)
ADDRESS: Kuala Lumpur City Centre 50088 Kuala Lumpur,
Kuala Lumpur , 16
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
CONFERENCE ON IMPLEMENTING THE BALANCED

SCORECARD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Malaysia
4th Kuala Lumpur International Conference on

Biomedical Engineering (Biomed) 2008
Welcome to Biomed 2008, the 4th Kuala Lumpur International
Conference on Biomedical Engineering to be held in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia on 25-28 June 2008.
We, at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty

of Engineering, University of Malaya, believe that Biomed
2008 will be a great event in bringing together academicians
and practitioners in engineering and medicine in this ever
progressing field, just as we did in 2000, 2002, 2004, and
2006.

62
We urge you to present your papers at this international

conference and network with other researchers in the region.
The deadline for the call of papers is 31 December 2007. Whether
you wish to present a paper, exhibit, or attend as a delegate,
register your interest in being a participant of Biomed 2008. It
will be an experience you do not want to miss.
And for the first time ever, you can now submit and track your
paper online! Submitted papers will be peer-reviewed and those
accepted will be published by Springerlink as part of the IFMBE
Proceedings Series.
As we say in Malaysia, “Selamat Datang”, meaning welcome. We

look forward to meeting you personally at Biomed 2008.
Noor Azuan Abu Osman, PhD

Biomed 2008 Organising Chairperson
Biomed 2008 at a glance
Important dates
* Deadline for submission of full papers 31 December 2007

* Notification of acceptance 28 March 2008
Organised by
* Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Malaya,

Malaysia
* Malaysian Society of Medical and Biological Engineering
(MSMBE)
Topics covered
The topics covered in the conference include, but not limited

to:
* Artificial organs
* Bioengineering education
* Bionanotechnology
* Biosignal processing
* Bioinformatics
* Biomaterials

* Biomechanics
* Biomedical imaging
* Biomedical instrumentation
* BioMEMS
* Clinical engineering
* Prosthetics and orthotics
* Rehabilitation engineering
* Tissue engineering
Registration fee
Payment for registration fee may be made using cheques or bank

drafts only; made payable to “Bendahari Universiti Malaya” and
mailed to the Secretariat.
Participation type Before 18 April 2008 After 18
April 2008
Normal International USD 420.00 USD 450.00
Local MYR 1450.00 MYR 1550.00
IFMBE Members International USD 400.00 U S D
420.00
Local MYR 1350.00 MYR 1450.00
Students International USD 300.00 USD 330.00
Local MYR 1050.00 MYR 1150.00
ALL DAY: Yes
VENUE: Grandhotel Pacifik
ADDRESS: Mirove Namesti 84, Marienbad , 16
The 2nd Convention of Asian Psychological

Association

Malaysia

64
Weather Forecast
■■ Sunrise: 7:03 AM
■■ Sunset: 7:21 PM
■■ Expect: Cloudy with a shower or
thunderstorm around
■■ High: 103
■■ Low: 86
■■ Wind: 4NNW
■■ UV: 5
■■ Rain Amount: 0.15

■■ Expect: Overcast with a shower or
thunderstorm around
■■ High: 96
■■ Low: 84
■■ Wind: 8NW
■■ UV: 5
Friday, June 06, 2008

■■ Expect: Cloudy with a shower or
thunderstorm around
■■ High: 97
■■ Low: 86
■■ Wind: 8NNW
■■ UV: 4

Saturday, June 07, 2008

■■ Expect: Cloudy and very humid
with thunderstorms
■■ High: 100
■■ Low: 85
■■ Wind: 3WNW
■■ UV: 4
Sunday, June 08, 2008

■■ Expect: Cloudy and very humid;
thunderstorms in the afternoon
■■ High: 101
■■ Low: 84
■■ Wind: 2ESE
■■ UV: 4
Monday, June 09, 2008

■■ Expect: A thick cloud cover and
very humid with thunderstorms
■■ High: 102
■■ Low: 83
■■ Wind: 2W
■■ UV: 3

66
Tuesday, June 10, 2008

■■ Expect: Cloudy and very humid
with thunderstorms
■■ High: 99
■■ Low: 82
■■ Wind: 3SW
■■ UV: 3

■■ Expect: Plenty of clouds with thun-
derstorms; very humid
■■ High: 100
■■ Low: 86
■■ Wind: 1NNW
■■ UV: 3

References
Offbeat Resources
1. Wikipedia, Kuala Lumpur; http://en.wikipedia.org

2. Wikitravel, Kuala Lumpur; http://wikitravel.org
3. Yahoo! Finance, Malaysian Ringgit; http://finance.yahoo.
com/currency
4. AccuWeather, Forecast for Kuala Lumpur; http://www.ac-
cuweather.com/world-index-forecast.asp
5. Google Maps, Maps of Kuala Lumpur; http://www.google.
com/maps?q=Kuala+Lumpur%2c+Malaysia

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Emergency Numbers Exchange Rate

Weather Forecast Joke

Copyright 2008, Offbeat Guides

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

Kuala Lumpur Region View

Created for Chris Davies

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

Kuala Lumpur City View

Created for Chris Davies

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

Kuala Lumpur Neighborhoo

Created for Chris Davies

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

Kuala Lumpur Street View

Created for Chris Davies

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

The city can be divided up into the following areas, each of

■■ City Center – This is the traditional core of Kuala Lumpur

Created for Chris Davies

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

cities, about 55% of Kuala Lumpur’s population is of Malaysian

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)

■ 800px-KLskylin A new Low Cost Carrier

Transfers - Main Terminal

■■ The high-speed KLIA Ekspres links the airport directly with

Created for Chris Davies

those flying Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Royal Bru-

■■ Airport Coach runs a one hourly express bus between KL

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

uncomfortable, and do not follow a timetable (at least, not

■■ From KLIA: Only

If you have your own wheels, KLIA is well connected to Peninsular

Transfers - Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT)

Created for Chris Davies

■■ There are no direct train connections to the LCCT (although

■■ SkyBus runs direct services every half hour or so from KL

Any taxi can bring passengers to the LCCT, including Kuala

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

Tioman Island, five times a week to/from Pangkor Island, and

Getting there/away: The airport is 25 km from the city center and

For those who do not want to pay toll, Kuala Lumpur is on

Created for Chris Davies

Access: Plaza Rakyat station (Ampang and Sri Petaling Lines) is

To/from Hat Yai, in Thailand:

■■ Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung () (Counter 73. Tel:

■■ Transnasional (Tel: +60-3-20703300) is Malaysia’s biggest

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

Note that Airport Coach buses to Kuala Lumpur International

Access: the only convenient way is by taxi.

Kuala Lumpur Old Railway Station

Plusliner luxury services (under

First Coach services to/from Singapore leave from the 1 Utama

MATIC - Malaysian Tourist Information Complex on Jalan

Pekeliling bus terminal is on Jalan Tun Razak to the north of

Created for Chris Davies

Most services are available at the station, including showers

A few popular places (notably the airport, KL Sentral and

Kuala Lumpur, Jun 19–Jun 26, 2008

If you get so off the

Do not park at the road of busy districts such as Bangsar, Bukit

Created for Chris Davies

on motorbikes have been a problem, especially in Chinatown

The following gives a brief description of KL’s attractions