Date: 12 December 2012
Delightful insights from heritage tour.
KUALA LUMPUR: UNKNOWN to many, the Royal Selangor Club
fronting Dataran Merdeka is nicknamed “The Spotted Dog”. This moniker came
about when a pair of Dalmatians belonging to the wife of one of the club’s
founders were left to guard the building’s entrance whenever they visited the
club. This is among the insights and untold stories that visitors can discover
as they take the newly-launched Dataran Merdeka Heritage Guided Tour.
The tour, a collaboration between City Hall and KL Tourism
Development Council, will take tourists
on a walk around Dataran Merdeka (once known as Padang), and the
historical buildings nearby such as the former High Court, Sultan Abdul Samad
Building, National Textile Museum (formerly Federated Malay States Railway
station), Victorian Fountain, Restoran Warisan (formerly known as The Chartered
Bank), Kuala Lumpur City Gallery, City Library, Cathedral of St Mary, and the
City Theatre (Panggung Bandaraya).
During the launch of the tour at Majestic Hotel, Mayor Datuk
Ahmad Phesal Talib said although listed as the sixth most visited city in the
world (nine million arrivals last year), it was found that those who visited
Dataran Merdeka did not know that there are other interesting buildings aged
over 100 years nearby.
"They will learn more about the architecture and
history of each landmark during this guided walk, which is part of the National
Key Economic Area's (NKEA) Greater KL project initiatives for tourism, namely
EPP 7 (Entry Point Project): Iconic Places. This tour is being promoted to
tourists through flyers available at hotels as well as other efforts overseas
with the help of Tourism Malaysia.
"It is to make visiting Kuala Lumpur an enjoyable
experience apart from its other attractions such as being a shopping paradise as
we are ranked fourth after New York, Tokyo and London," said Phesal.
"The city also appeals to foreign tourists for other reasons, including a
safe environment and a rich cultural heritage," he said, adding that he
hoped there would be more tourism products and services launched in future. He
added that upgrading works were already underway for the heritage trail.
The tours will commence on Saturday at 9.15am and last for
two-and-half hours. Apart from Saturdays, the tours are available on Mondays
and Wednesdays. Tourists can book the tour by sending an email to
pelancongan@dbkl.gov.my.
Also present at the launch were KLTDC co-chairman Tunku
Datuk Seri Iskandar Tunku Abdullah, YTL Hotels and Properties Sdn Bhd executive
director Datuk Mark Yeoh and KL Tour Guide Association vice-chairman Jane Rai.
By NURADZIMMAH DAIM | streets@nstp.com.my
Copyright © 2011 The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia)
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