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Cover
STORY
Heritage Malaysia
M
alaysia
i s a
country that has so
much to offer, from
the wide variety of
food to her gor-
geous islands and
beaches. We take
a trip around the country and visit some
of the older buildings, taking in their rich
history and architecture.
A tour ofMalaysia and her history rich buildings.
Alor Setar
Alor Setar, the state capital of Kedah, is the
second largest city in the state after Sungai
Petani. The city’s location along the main
travel route from Malaysia to Thailand
has long made it a major transportation
hub in the northern Malay Peninsula.
This city bears the distinction of being
the birthplace of two prime ministers –
Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s first
prime minister, and Tun Dr. Mahathir bin
Mohamad, the fourth prime minister.
Alor Setar was founded in 1735 by
Kedah’s 19th Ruler, Sultan Muhammad
Jiwa Zainal Adilin II. Significant events
that were held here included the handing
back of Perlis to Kedah by the Siamese
in May 1897 and a 90-day festival from
June to September 1904 to celebrate the
wedding of the five children of Sultan
Abdul Hamid Halim Shah.
Most of the city’s landmarks are con-
centrated around Dataran Alor Setar in
the heart of the city. One such landmark is
the Balai Besar (Great Hall or Main Hall),
which was constructed in 1898 to replace
an earlier building that was destroyed by
Bugis and Siamese invaders. The design
of the hall contains elements of Thai and
Malay architecture.
Johor
Johor Bahru was founded in 1855 when
the sovereign ruler of Johor, Temeng-
gong Daeng Ibrahim, established his
administrative headquarters there. Johor
Bahru quickly developed under the shrewd
guidance of its leaders and in 1923, the
Causeway linking the railway and road
systems between Singapore and theMalay
Peninsula was completed.
Located at Bukit Timbalan in Johor
Sultan Ibrahim Shah building, Johor Bahru
Great Hall, Alor Star
Firefly flies to
Johor Bahru
fromvarious
destinations.
Information on flight
routes and schedules
can be found at www.
fireflyz.com.my
Firefly flies to
Alor Setar from
various destinations.
Information on flight
routes and schedules
can be found at www.
fireflyz.com.my