ErrucrulEUR
Mountbatten Road, l{uala
Lumpur, L960
By Cheo Hong Keyong
Mountbatten Road, 77.5.1960 (Photo courtesy of Jabatan peneranglan)
ountbatten Road is among the oldest
roads Kuala Lumpur. lt was originally
called Java Street and was initially
settled by people from Java. Java Street was later
renamed Mountbatten Road in 1961 and later
renamed again in 1981_ as Jalan Tun Perak which
it is called to this day.
lndian Chettiars and lndian Muslims were
among others that settled in the area and a Malay
tr volTTJANUARY-MARCH2019
cemetery was located close by. Masjid Jamek,
which was built in 1909 and is among the oldest
mosques in Kuala Lumpur, sits on the site of the
cemetery.
At the turn of the 20th century the road was
situated in the centre of a busy commercial
district with many major colonial venues such as
St Mary's Church, Government office buildings, a
cricket ground, the British Library and the Selangor
 O riental Building, 3.7.2079

Club. The club was popular with

British officers and was within
walking distance of many famous
upmarket department stores
established along the road, such
as Robinsons, John Little and
Whiteaway Laidlaw Department
Store.
The popularity of this road
as a shopping centre began to
be overtaken by other areas in
Kuala Lumpur and the department
stores were gradually converted to
financial institutions.
The five-storey Art-Deco
Oriental Building that was built in
L932 on Mountbatten Road still
stands prominently as a landmark
at the junction of Jalan Tun Perak
and Jalan Melaka. lt was the tallest
Jalan Tun Perak, 3.7.2079
ErrucruEUR
building in Kuala Lumpur at the time and Radio
Malaya was once located in it. lt was originally
built for the Oriental Government Security Life
Assurance Company.
According to a report in The Straits Times
newspaper dated November 26, 1931, the
construction of a five-storey building with the tiile
"Big Building for Kuala Lumpur"; would commence
soon. The building once completed, would stand at
82 ft tall and would be the tallest building in Kuala
Lumpur. lt would change the skyline of the city
and would add some welcome 'liveliness' to the
commercial centre which seemed to be stagnating
at the time perhaps, partly due to the effects of
the worldwide Great Depression.
The Gian Singh Building, which is another
important landmark was constructed in 1909
and stands opposite the Oriental Building. lt is
located between Jalan Tun Perak and Lebuh
VOL 77 JANUARY_MARCH 2O 19
Gian Singh Building, 3.1.2079
Ampang on the eastern side and Jalan Benteng
on the western side. Although built by different
owners in a diversity of styles, there is a common
roofline that complement one another beautifully.
The intricate plasterwork and detailing represent
a blend of Dutch, English and lslamic influences.
Other old landmarks along the road include
many shophouses; those facing Lebuh Ampang
were built by Tan Jit Cheuh, the central shophouses
were built by Loke Yew and Rasootbhoy Ailibhoy
built the two shophouses on the right. ln tg2L,
the right section was extended and Gian Singh,
a major textile store occupied the site from the
1920s onwards.
The street scene of Mountbatten Road has
now changed dramatically, interspersed by the
elevated LRT Ampang Line and the Masjid Jamek
LRT station which once stood the Whiteaway
Laidlaw Department Store. I