3°8′20″N 101°42′2″E / 3.13889°N 101.70056°E / 3.13889; 101.70056
176-509: The Independence Stadium or Merdeka Stadium is a stadium in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . It is known as the site of the formal declaration of independence of the Federation of Malaya on 31 August 1957 . The stadium is also the site of the proclamation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963 . Currently owned by Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), the stadium has a lower and an upper terrace, with
352-507: A Brunei win 2–1. The stadium had never hosted any Malaysia Cup finals ever since. In February 2015, Kuala Lumpur FA returned to Independence Stadium for the first time in 17 years for the team's opening Premier League match of the season against Sabah. The last international match played at the stadium saw the Malaysian team drawing 1–1 with Cambodia in October 2001. The stadium was the venue of
528-835: A duodenal ulcer , for which he had an operation in November 1917. In February 1918 Albert was appointed Officer in Charge of Boys at the Royal Naval Air Service 's training establishment at Cranwell . With the establishment of the Royal Air Force Albert transferred from the Royal Navy to the Royal Air Force. He served as Officer Commanding Number 4 Squadron of the Boys' Wing at Cranwell until August 1918, before reporting for duty on
704-550: A haze over the region, and is a major source of pollution, along with open burning, motor vehicle emissions, and construction. Kuala Lumpur was administered by a corporation sole called the Federal Capital Commissioner from April 1, 1961, until it was awarded city status in 1972, after which executive power transferred to the Lord Mayor ( Datuk Bandar ). 14 mayors have been appointed since then. The current mayor
880-518: A Federal Territory on 1 February 2001, as well as the seat of the federal government. 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 (Constitutional King). From the 1990s onwards, major urban developments in the Klang Valley extended
1056-556: A divorced woman with two living ex-husbands. He abdicated and Albert, though he had been reluctant to accept the throne, became king. The day before the abdication, Albert went to London to see his mother, Queen Mary. He wrote in his diary, "When I told her what had happened, I broke down and sobbed like a child." On the day of Edward's abdication, the Oireachtas , the parliament of the Irish Free State , removed all direct mention of
1232-605: A draw. In 1980, the stadium was the venue for the Olympics qualifying tournament. On 25 March, the stadium witnessed the qualification of Malaysia at the 1980 Olympic Games. The national team won the match against South Korea by 2–1, thus qualifying the Olympic Games for the second time. However, due to the boycott led by the United States , the country did not participate in the final tournament. The first FIFA qualification match at
1408-471: A large extent by Chinese businessmen such as Loke Yew , who was then the richest and most influential Chinese in Kuala Lumpur. The growth of the rubber industry led to an influx of foreign capital and planters, with new companies and industries becoming established in Kuala Lumpur, and other companies previously based elsewhere also found a presence here. During World War II , Kuala Lumpur was captured by
1584-560: A low ebb. During his reign, his people endured the hardships of war, and imperial power was eroded. However, as a dutiful family man and by showing personal courage, he succeeded in restoring the popularity of the monarchy. The George Cross and the George Medal were founded at the King's suggestion during the Second World War to recognise acts of exceptional civilian bravery. He bestowed
1760-483: A member of the royal family. In the words of Lady Strathmore, Albert would be "made or marred" by his choice of wife. After a protracted courtship, Elizabeth agreed to marry him. Albert and Elizabeth were married on 26 April 1923 in Westminster Abbey . Albert's marriage to someone not of royal birth was considered a modernising gesture. The newly formed British Broadcasting Company wished to record and broadcast
1936-457: A month. Kuala Lumpur is highly prone to severe thunderstorms and lightning strikes. The Klang Valley , including Kuala Lumpur, is one of the places where thunderstorms are most frequently observed on Earth. Floods are frequent in Kuala Lumpur after heavy downpours, especially in the city centre, because irrigation structure lags behind the intense development in the city. Smoke from forest fires in nearby Sumatra and Kalimantan sometimes casts
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#17328481084362112-540: A shift standing guard over their father's body as it lay in state , in a closed casket, in Westminster Hall . As Edward was unmarried and had no children, Albert was the heir presumptive to the throne. Less than a year later, on 11 December 1936, Edward abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson , who was divorced from her first husband and divorcing her second. Edward had been advised by British prime minister Stanley Baldwin that he could not remain king and marry
2288-460: A slump. A major outbreak of cholera caused many to flee. The slump lasted until late 1879, when rising prices for tin allowed the town to recover. In late 1881, the town was severely flooded, after a fire that had destroyed the entire town in January. With the town being rebuilt a few times and having thrived, this was due in large to Yap Ah Loy. Yap, together with Frank Swettenham who was appointed
2464-674: A social function in 1944, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff , Field Marshal Alan Brooke , revealed that every time he met Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery , he thought Montgomery was after his job. George replied: "You should worry, when I meet him, I always think he's after mine!" In 1945, crowds shouted "We want the King!" in front of Buckingham Palace during the Victory in Europe Day celebrations. In an echo of Chamberlain's appearance,
2640-636: A speech emphasising "the free and equal association of the nations of the Commonwealth". The trip was intended to soften the strong isolationist tendencies among the North American public with regard to the developing tensions in Europe. Although the aim of the tour was mainly political, to shore up Atlantic support for the United Kingdom in any future war, the King and Queen were enthusiastically received by
2816-609: A teenager and served in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force during the First World War . In 1920, he was made Duke of York . He married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, and they had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret . In the mid-1920s, he engaged speech therapist Lionel Logue to treat his stutter , which he learned to manage to some degree. His elder brother ascended the throne as Edward VIII after their father died in 1936, but Edward abdicated later that year to marry
2992-662: A territory of Selangor State Government. In 1974, Kuala Lumpur was split off from Selangor to form the first Federal Territory governed directly by the Malaysian federal government. Its location in the most developed state on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia , which has a wider stretch of flat land than the east coast, has helped it develop faster than other cities in Malaysia. The municipality covers an area of 243 km (94 sq mi), with an average elevation of 81.95 m (268 ft 10 in) highest point being Bukit Nanas at 94 meters above sea level. Protected by
3168-510: A time. Yap Ah Loy also built Kuala Lumpur's first school and a major tapioca mill in Petaling Street , in which the Selangor's Sultan Abdul Samad held an interest. A railway line between Kuala Lumpur and Klang, initiated by Swettenham and completed in 1886, increased access and resulted in rapid growth. The population grew from 4,500 in 1884 to 20,000 in 1890. As development intensified in
3344-427: A total capacity of 25,000. It has 14 tunnels entrance, a covered stand, 50 turnstiles and 4 floodlight towers . The stadium was designed by American architect Stanley Jewkes , under the instruction of the first Prime Minister of Malaysia , Tunku Abdul Rahman . Upon its completion, the stadium holds the world record for the tallest prestressed floodlight towers and the biggest cantilever shell roofs . The stadium
3520-408: A tour of the empire with his wife in 1927. Their journey by sea to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji took them via Jamaica, where Albert played doubles tennis partnered with a black man, Bertrand Clark , which was unusual at the time and taken locally as a display of equality between races. The Duke and Duchess had two children: Elizabeth (the future Elizabeth II, called "Lilibet" by the family) who
3696-507: A unique independence declaration event. Since the 1930s, the Football Association of Selangor commonly referred to as Selangor , had been urging the government for a professional football stadium to be built. The request had been ignored as there's in fact a MAHA Stadium, the first stadium of Selangor in collaboration with MAHA (Malayan Agri-Horticultural Association) , is still there located at Jalan Ampang at that time. However,
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#17328481084363872-610: Is Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh , who has been in office since 17 April 2023. The local administration is carried out by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall , an agency under the Federal Territories Ministry of Malaysia . It is 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
4048-489: Is RM9,073 (~$ 2,200) as of 2016, growing at a pace of approximately 6% a year. 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
4224-530: Is also the Malaysian national team best performance, which won the fourth place in the event. The event was witnessed by over 50,000 spectators, despite the fact that the stadium had only 45,000 seats. The stadium had also held the fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Bugner on 1 July 1975. It was held as an exhibition bout as a part of the Far East tour. The match was held prior to the infamous Thrilla in Manila that
4400-561: Is also the owner of the Malaysia International Trade And Exhibition Centre (MITEC), the largest trade and exhibition centre of Malaysia , which is a component of the larger KL Metropolis development situated in the suburb of Segambut . Another notable trend is the increased presence of budget hotels in the city. The major tourist destinations in Kuala Lumpur include the Petronas Twin Towers ,
4576-765: Is considered by some to have been founded by the Malay Chief of Klang , Raja Abdullah, who sent Chinese miners into the region to open tin mines in 1857, although it is unclear who the first settlers were since there were likely settlements at the Gombak-Klang river confluence prior to that in the 1820s. Chinese miners were known to be involved in tin mining up the Selangor River in the 1840s about 16 kilometres (10 miles) north of present-day Kuala Lumpur, and Mandailing Sumatrans led by Raja Asal [ ms ] and Sutan Puasa were also involved in tin mining and trade in
4752-463: 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 providing Islamic financing and the strong presence of Gulf financial institutions such as the world's largest Islamic bank, the Al-Rajhi Bank and Kuwait Finance House . Apart from that,
4928-637: Is home to the Parliament of Malaysia . The federal Constitution stipulates the three branches of the Malaysian government: the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative branches. The Parliament consists of the Dewan Negara (Upper House / House of Senate) and Dewan Rakyat (Lower House / House of Representatives). List of Kuala Lumpur representatives in the Federal Parliament (Dewan Rakyat) While DBKL acts as
5104-541: Is home to the tallest twin buildings in the world, the Petronas Towers which have since become an iconic symbol of Malaysian development. Kuala Lumpur is well connected with neighboring urban metro regions such as Petaling Jaya via the rapidly expanding Klang Valley Integrated Transit System . Residents of the city can also travel to other parts of Peninsular Malaysia as well as to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) via rail through KL Sentral . Kuala Lumpur
5280-457: Is the largest city in the country, covering an area of 243 km (94 sq mi) with a census population of 2,075,600 as of 2024 . Greater Kuala Lumpur , also known as the Klang Valley , is an urban agglomeration of 8.8 million people as of 2024. It is among the fastest growing metropolitan regions in Southeast Asia , both in population and economic development. The city serves as
5456-799: Is the only extant first-hand account of these conversations. Throughout the war, George and Elizabeth provided morale-boosting visits throughout the United Kingdom, visiting bomb sites, munitions factories, and troops. George visited military forces abroad in France in December 1939, North Africa and Malta in June 1943, Normandy in June 1944, southern Italy in July 1944, and the Low Countries in October 1944. Their high public profile and apparently indefatigable determination secured their place as symbols of national resistance. At
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5632-614: The British Empire Exhibition at Wembley on 31 October 1925, one which was an ordeal for both him and his listeners, he began to see Lionel Logue , an Australian-born speech therapist. The Duke and Logue practised breathing exercises, and the Duchess rehearsed with him patiently. Subsequently, he was able to speak with less hesitation. With his delivery improved, Albert opened the new Parliament House in Canberra , Australia, during
5808-983: The Bukit Bintang shopping district, the Kuala Lumpur Tower , Petaling Street (Chinatown), the Merdeka Square , the Kuala Lumpur railway station , the House of Parliament building, the National Palace ( Istana Negara ), the National Planetarium , the National Science Centre , the National Art Gallery ( Balai Seni Negara ), the National Theatre ( Istana Budaya ), the National Museum ,
5984-608: The Chinese New Year with the cutting of pigtails and ended with rioting and factional fighting lasting a number of days. The worst rioting on record in Malaysia, however, occurred on 13 May 1969, when race riots broke out in Kuala Lumpur. The so-called 13 May Incident included violent conflicts between members of the Malay and the Chinese communities, the result of Malays' dissatisfaction with their socio-political status. The riots caused
6160-780: 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. Most of the country's largest companies have their headquarters here, and as of December 2007 and excluding Petronas , there are 14 companies that are listed in Forbes 2000 based in Kuala Lumpur. There has been growing emphasis on expanding
6336-502: The Government of India . Rising Indian nationalism made the welcome that the royal party would have received likely to be muted at best, and a prolonged absence from Britain would have been undesirable in the tense period before the Second World War. Two overseas tours were undertaken, to France and to North America, both of which promised greater strategic advantages in the event of war. The growing likelihood of war in Europe dominated
6512-584: The Hai San secret society, they fought against a rival secret society, Ghee Hin , whom allied themselves with Raja Mahdi. Raja Asal and Sutan Puasa switched sides to Raja Mahdi, and Kuala Lumpur was captured in 1872 and burnt to the ground. Yap escaped to Klang where he assembled another fighting force and recaptured Kuala Lumpur in March 1873, defeating Raja Mahdi's forces with the help of fighters from Pahang . The war and other setbacks, such as dropping tin prices, led to
6688-528: The Imperial Japanese Army on 11 January 1942. Despite suffering little damage during the course of the battle, the wartime occupation of the city resulted in significant loss of lives; at least 5,000 Chinese were killed in Kuala Lumpur in just a few weeks of occupation by Japanese forces, and thousands of Indians were sent as forced labour to work on the Burma Railway where many died. They occupied
6864-691: The King and Queen toured Canada and the United States; it was the first visit of a reigning British monarch to North America, although George had been to Canada prior to his accession. From Ottawa , George and Elizabeth were accompanied by Canadian prime minister Mackenzie King , to present themselves in North America as King and Queen of Canada . Both Mackenzie King and the Canadian governor general, Lord Tweedsmuir , hoped that George's presence in Canada would demonstrate
7040-1123: The Kuala Lumpur City Hall authority. For land administration purposes, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur is divided into eight mukims , and several mukim-level towns ( pekan / bandar ): Kampung Baru Titiwangsa Sentul Maluri Pudu Brickfields Mid Valley City Bukit Tunku Perdana Botanical Gardens and Cenotaph Shamelin Perkasa (partial) Bandar Tun Razak Salak South Bangsar University of Malaya Pantai Dalam Jalan Klang Lama ( Taman Desa ) Bukit Damansara Sri Hartamas and Taman Duta Istana Negara Taman Tun Dr Ismail Kampung Sungai Penchala Sri Petaling Bukit Jalil Bandar Tasik Selatan Sungai Besi Jinjang Segambut Mont Kiara Batu Jalan Ipoh Sentul (partial) Taman Wahyu Wangsa Maju Taman Melati Setiawangsa (partial) Ampang Kampung Datuk Keramat Cochrane (partial) Maluri (partial) Cheras (partial) Taman Connaught Kuala Lumpur
7216-507: The Malaysian government to turn Malaysia into a high income economy nation. Tourism plays an important role in the city's service-driven economy. Many large worldwide hotel chains have a presence in the city. One of the oldest hotels is the Hotel Majestic . Kuala Lumpur is the sixth most visited city in the world , with 8.9 million tourists per year. Tourism here is driven by
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7392-807: The National Monument , and religious sites such as the Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque , Thean Hou Temple and Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields . Kuala Lumpur plays host to many cultural festivals such as the Thaipusam procession at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple . Every year during the Thaipusam celebration, a silver chariot carrying the statue of Lord Muruga together with his consort Valli and Teivayanni would be paraded through
7568-456: The Queen of the United Kingdom , the Malay rulers of the nine states, the last High Commissioner of Malaya Sir Donald MacGillivray , foreign dignitaries, members of the federal cabinet and Tunku Abdul Rahman himself. Following the handover of the instrument of the independence from Prince Henry to Tunku, the prime minister read out the Declaration of Independence , followed by the iconic seven shouts of " Merdeka " by Tunku. Following that,
7744-412: The Resident in 1882, were the two most important figures of early Kuala Lumpur with Swettenham credited with its rapid growth and development and its transformation into a major urban centre. The early Chinese and Malay settled along the east bank of the Klang River. The Chinese mainly settled around the commercial centre of Market Square. The Malays, and later Indian Chettiars and Muslims, resided in
7920-421: The Royal Museum , the National Textile Museum , Islamic Arts Museum , Telekom Museum , Royal Malaysian Police Museum , the National Mosque of Malaysia ( Masjid Negara ), Federal Territory Mosque ( Masjid Wilayah ), Sultan Abdul Samad Building , DBKL City Theatre ( Panggung Bandaraya ), Medan Pasar , Central Market , KL Bird Park , KL Butterfly Park , Aquaria KLCC , Saloma Link ( Pintasan Saloma ),
8096-454: The Royal Naval College, Dartmouth . When his grandfather Edward VII died in 1910, his father became King George V. Prince Edward became Prince of Wales, with Albert second in line to the throne. Albert spent the first six months of 1913 on the training ship HMS Cumberland in the West Indies and on the east coast of Canada. He was rated as a midshipman aboard HMS Collingwood on 15 September 1913. He spent three months in
8272-485: The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, during the reign of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria . His father was Prince George, Duke of York (later King George V ), the second and only surviving son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra ). His mother, the Duchess of York (later Queen Mary ), was the eldest child and only daughter of Francis, Duke of Teck , and Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck . His birthday, 14 December 1895,
8448-798: The Titiwangsa Range in the east and Indonesia's Sumatra Island in the west, Kuala Lumpur is sheltered from strong winds and has a tropical rainforest climate ( Köppen climate classification Af ), hot, humid and sunny, with abundant rainfall, especially during the northeast monsoon season from October to March. Temperatures tend to remain constant. Maximums hover between 32 and 35 °C (90 and 95 °F) and sometimes topping 38 °C (100.4 °F), while minimums hover between 23.4 and 24.6 °C (74.1 and 76.3 °F) and have never fallen below 17.8 °C (64.0 °F). Kuala Lumpur typically receives at least 2,600 mm (100 in) of rain annually; June to August are relatively dry, but even then rainfall typically exceeds 131 millimetres (5.2 in)
8624-445: The Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) , formerly known as Kuala Lumpur International Financial District (KLIFD). The TRX's landmark and prominent building is The Exchange 106 tower. The 70-acre development will be situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and will serve international finance and business opportunities. The new financial hub is a strategic enabler of the Malaysian government's Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) , an initiative by
8800-669: The Ulu Klang region before 1860, and Sumatrans may have settled in the upper reaches of Klang River in the first quarter of the 19th century, or possibly earlier. Kuala Lumpur was originally a small hamlet of just a few houses and shops at the confluence of the Sungai Gombak and Sungai Klang ( Klang River ). Kuala Lumpur became established as a town c. 1857 , when Raja Abdullah bin Raja Jaafar, aided by his brother Raja Juma'at of Lukut , raised funds from Malaccan Chinese businessmen to hire Chinese miners from Lukut to open new tin mines there. The miners landed at Kuala Lumpur and continued on foot to Ampang , where they opened
8976-419: The independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. George relinquished the title of Emperor of India in June 1948 and instead adopted the new title of Head of the Commonwealth. He was beset by smoking-related health problems in the later years of his reign and died at Sandringham House , aged 56, of a coronary thrombosis . He was succeeded by his elder daughter, Elizabeth II. Albert was born at York Cottage , on
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#17328481084369152-410: The mayor in the city hall, who is 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. Kuala Lumpur's eleven parliamentary constituencies, with 2020 population, area, density and percentage of the total are congruent with administrative subdivisions under the authority of
9328-412: The national anthem was sung for the first time by a multiracial choir led by Tony Fonseka, while the national flag was raised by Oliver Cuthbert Samuel. The ceremony was continued with an azan call and a thanksgiving prayer, as well as a gun salute . A mass drill were also performed by the students on the event. On 16 September 1963, the stadium was the site of the proclamation of the formation of
9504-406: The regnal name "George VI" to emphasise continuity with his father and restore confidence in the monarchy. The beginning of George VI's reign was taken up by questions surrounding his predecessor and brother, whose titles, style and position were uncertain. He had been introduced as "His Royal Highness Prince Edward" for the abdication broadcast, but George VI felt that by abdicating and renouncing
9680-480: The 15th. He was interred initially in the Royal Vault until he was transferred to the King George VI Memorial Chapel inside St George's on 26 March 1969. In 2002, fifty years after his death, the remains of his widow, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the ashes of his younger daughter, Princess Margaret, who both died that year, were interred in the chapel alongside him. In 2022, the remains of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, were also interred in
9856-441: The 1820s a place named Sungei Lumpoor was said to be the most important tin-producing settlement up the Klang River . However this derivation does not account for this: Kuala Lumpur lies at the confluence of Gombak River and Klang River, and therefore should be named Kuala Gombak, since the kuala is typically named after the river that joins a larger river or the sea. Some have argued that Sungai Lumpur in fact extended down to
10032-418: The 1880s, putting pressure on sanitation, waste disposal and other health measures. A Sanitary Board created on 14 May 1890 was responsible for sanitation, road upkeep, street lighting, and other functions. This would eventually become the Kuala Lumpur Municipal Council in 1948. In 1896, Kuala Lumpur was chosen as the capital of the newly formed Federated Malay States . Kuala Lumpur expanded considerably in
10208-455: The 1989 SEA Games, the grandstand was changed and the game's torch platform was built, were involved a set of grand steps leading up to the torch. The renovation, which cost RM 5.3 million, also includes the laying of new tracks, repairs to the roofs, enclosing sections of seating and repainting the seating terraces such that the stadium was ready for the Games. In 2007, the stadium underwent massive renovations to restore its 1957 look. With that,
10384-407: The 20th century. It was 0.65 km (0.25 sq mi) in 1895, but was extended to encompass 20 km (7.7 sq mi) in 1903, and to 52 km (20 sq mi) by 1924. By the time it became a municipality in 1948 it had expanded to 93 km (36 sq mi), and then to 243 km (94 sq mi) in 1974 as a Federal Territory. Before 1974, Kuala Lumpur was also
10560-458: The 45,000-capacity stadium was reduced to 20,000, which meant that several of the upper terrace blocks built over the years were demolished. Besides that, the entire stadium was to be decorated as the state it was when Tunku proclaimed independence, which included the word "Merdeka" written in the stadium and the original seating arrangements of the Malay Rulers, the Queen's representatives and officers. The paintworks, main pavilion, two VIP rooms and
10736-412: The Blitz on London, on 7 September 1940, killed about one thousand civilians, mostly in the East End . On 13 September, the couple narrowly avoided death when two German bombs exploded in a courtyard at Buckingham Palace while they were there. In defiance, the Queen declared: "I am glad we have been bombed. It makes me feel we can look the East End in the face." The royal family were portrayed as sharing
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#173284810843610912-425: The Brunei Merdeka Games, which was held to commemorate the Independence day of Malaya. Several events, including the Pestabola Merdeka , were held from 30 August to 8 September 1957. Besides football, the stadium had held cycling, athletics and hockey competition which were a part of the Games. A similar event was held in 1963 when the Malaysia Federation was formed. Operated by Perbadanan Stadium Merdeka (1963–1998),
11088-487: The Channel to Autigny . For the closing weeks of the war, he served on the staff of the RAF's Independent Air Force at its headquarters in Nancy, France . Following the disbanding of the Independent Air Force in November 1918, he remained on the Continent for two months as an RAF staff officer until posted back to Britain. He accompanied King Albert I of Belgium on his triumphal re-entry into Brussels on 22 November. The prince qualified as an RAF pilot on 31 July 1919 and
11264-431: The Commonwealth leaders issued the London Declaration , which laid the foundation of the modern Commonwealth and recognised George as Head of the Commonwealth . In January 1950, he ceased to be King of India when it became a republic. He remained King of Pakistan until his death. Other countries left the Commonwealth, such as Burma in January 1948, Palestine (divided between Israel and the Arab states) in May 1948 and
11440-412: The George Cross on the entire " island fortress of Malta " in 1943. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Liberation by the French government in 1960, one of only two people (the other being Churchill in 1958) to be awarded the medal after 1946. Colin Firth won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as George VI in the 2010 film The King's Speech . As Duke of York, Albert bore
11616-403: The Java Street area, now Jalan Tun Perak . In 1880, the colonial administration moved the state capital of Selangor from Klang to the more strategically advantageous Kuala Lumpur, and British Resident William Bloomfield Douglas decided to locate the government buildings and living quarters to the west of the river. Government offices and a new police headquarters were built on Bukit Aman , and
11792-436: The King invited Churchill to appear with the royal family on the balcony to public acclaim. In January 1946, George addressed the United Nations at its first assembly, which was held in London, and reaffirmed "our faith in the equal rights of men and women and of nations great and small". George VI's reign saw the acceleration of the dissolution of the British Empire . The Statute of Westminster 1931 had already acknowledged
11968-435: The King's initial dismay over Churchill's appointment of Lord Beaverbrook to the Cabinet, he and Churchill developed "the closest personal relationship in modern British history between a monarch and a Prime Minister". Every Tuesday for four and a half years from September 1940, the two men met privately for lunch to discuss the war in secret and with frankness. George related much of what the two discussed in his diary, which
12144-409: The King, with the promise of the dukedom of York, persuaded Albert to stop seeing her. That year, he met for the first time since childhood Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon , the youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore . He became determined to marry her. Elizabeth rejected his proposal twice, in 1921 and 1922, reportedly because she was reluctant to make the sacrifices necessary to become
12320-486: The Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area. This area, known as Greater Kuala Lumpur , extends from the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur westward to Port Klang , east to the edge of the Titiwangsa Mountains as well as to the north and south. The area covers other administratively separate towns and cities such as Klang, Shah Alam , Putrajaya and others, and is served by the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System . Notable projects undertaken within Kuala Lumpur itself included
12496-428: The MAHA Stadium was ruined by the Japanese army in the World War II . After the war, the F.A.S and the Football Association of Malaya (FAM) stepped up their efforts to get a new stadium as the MAHA Stadium in Jalan Ampang is now unusable. After Tunku Abdul Rahman was elected as president of the two associations in 1951, both associations fought hard to have a first-class stadium built. In 1952, an ad-hoc committee
12672-527: The Malay chief, and Hiu Siew, the early Chinese trader, became the first Kapitan of Kuala Lumpur. The third Chinese Kapitan of Kuala Lumpur, Yap Ah Loy , was appointed in 1868. Important Malay figures of early Kuala Lumpur also included Haji Mohamed Tahir, who became the Dato Dagang ("chief of traders"). The Minangkabaus of Sumatra became another important group who traded and established tobacco plantations in
12848-675: The Malaysia Federation. The event was witnessed by more than 30,000 audience and it was attended by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong , the Malay rulers, the Governor of Penang, Malacca, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah, as well as the cabinet members, foreign diplomats and invited guests. The Proclamation of Malaysia, which was handed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, was read out by the Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. He then shouted "Merdeka" seven times, which
13024-561: The Mediterranean, but never overcame his seasickness. Three weeks after the outbreak of World War I he was medically evacuated from the ship to Aberdeen, where his appendix was removed by Sir John Marnoch . He was mentioned in dispatches for his actions as a turret officer aboard Collingwood in the Battle of Jutland (31 May – 1 June 1916), the great naval battle of the war. He did not see further combat, largely because of ill health caused by
13200-716: The Padang initially created for police training. The Padang, now known as Merdeka Square , would later become the centre of the British administrative offices when the colonial government offices moved to the Sultan Abdul Samad Building in 1897. Frank Swettenham , on becoming the British Resident, began improving the town by cleaning up the streets. He also stipulated in 1884 that buildings should be constructed of brick and tile so that they would be less flammable, and that
13376-622: The Republic of Ireland in 1949. In 1947, George and his family toured southern Africa. The prime minister of the Union of South Africa , Jan Smuts , was facing an election and hoped to make political capital out of the visit. George was appalled, however, when instructed by the South African government to shake hands only with whites, and referred to his South African bodyguards as "the Gestapo ". Despite
13552-670: The United States and the United Kingdom through the ensuing war years. Following the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, the United Kingdom and the self-governing Dominions other than Ireland declared war on Nazi Germany . The King and Queen resolved to stay in London, despite German bombing raids . They officially stayed in Buckingham Palace throughout the war, although they usually spent nights at Windsor Castle . The first night of
13728-538: The area. Notable Minangkabaus included their headman, Dato' Sati, Utsman Abdullah, and Haji Mohamed Taib , who was involved in the early development of Kampung Baru . The Minangkabaus were also significant socio-religious figures, for example Utsman bin Abdullah was the first kadi of Kuala Lumpur, as well as Muhammad Nur bin Ismail. Early Kuala Lumpur was a small town that suffered from many social and political problems –
13904-511: The boy will ruin himself in twelve months" and "I pray God that my eldest son will never marry and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne." On 20 January 1936, George V died and Edward ascended the throne as King Edward VIII. In the Vigil of the Princes , Prince Albert and his three brothers (the new king, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester , and Prince George, Duke of Kent ) took
14080-499: The buildings were made of wood and ' atap ' (palm frond thatching ). The buildings were prone to catching fire, and due to a lack of proper sanitation the town was plagued with diseases. It also suffered from a constant threat of flooding due to its location. The town became embroiled in the Selangor Civil War in part over control of revenue from the tin mines. Yap Ah Loy allied himself with Tengku Kudin [ ms ] and
14256-490: The ceremony, Stanley was concerned that the roof might be unable to withstand the vibrations caused by the firing of the cannons during the ceremony, but it did not happen and the event went well. Engineer Lee Kwok Thye credited the Kongsi Woman, also known as Lai Sui Mui for their role in the construction. The women were responsible for carrying concrete buckets from the ground up to the structures being constructed, where it
14432-472: The changing rooms were to be restored to its original state as well. The project, which costs RM2 million, was led by PNB. In December 2009, it was announced that PNB would be building a hundred-floored skyscraper on the site between Independence Stadium and Nation Stadium . The project was officially launched by the then Prime Minister Najib Razak in September 2016. Formerly named as the Warisan Merdeka,
14608-405: The chapel. In the words of Labour Member of Parliament (MP) George Hardie , the abdication crisis of 1936 did "more for republicanism than fifty years of propaganda". George VI wrote to his brother Edward that in the aftermath of the abdication he had reluctantly assumed "a rocking throne" and tried "to make it steady again". He became king at a point when public faith in the monarchy was at
14784-483: The city beginning at the temple all the way to Batu Caves in the neighboring Gombak , Selangor. The primary entertainment and shopping district of the city is mainly centred in the Golden Triangle encompassing Jalan P. Ramlee , Jalan Sultan Ismail , Jalan Bukit Bintang , Ampang Road and Bintang Walk . George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952)
14960-635: The city until 15 August 1945, when the commander in chief of the Japanese Seventh Area Army in Singapore and Malaysia, Seishirō Itagaki , surrendered to the British administration following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . Kuala Lumpur grew during the war, and continued after the war during the Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) , during which Malaya was preoccupied with a communist insurgency and New Villages were established on
15136-443: The city with the main arterial routes of the present Ampang Road , Pudu Road and Petaling Street . As Chinese Kapitan, he held wide powers on a par with Malay community leaders. Law reforms were implemented and new legal measures introduced to the assembly. Yap also presided over a small claims court . With a police force of six, he was able to uphold the rule of law, constructing a prison that could accommodate sixty prisoners at
15312-443: The city's cultural diversity, relatively low costs, and wide gastronomic and shopping variety. MICE tourism, which mainly encompasses conventions — has expanded in recent years to become a vital component of the industry, and is expected to grow further once the Malaysian government's Economic Transformation Programme kicks in, and with the completion of a new 93,000 square meter-size MATRADE Centre in 2014. The MATRADE agency
15488-556: The city. The city remains the economic and business hub of the country. Kuala Lumpur is a centre for finance, insurance, real estate, media and the arts of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is rated the only global city in Malaysia, according to the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC). Bursa Malaysia , or the Malaysia Exchange, is based in the city and forms one of its core economic activities. As of 5 July 2013,
15664-406: The concrete upper tiers were added to increase the stadium capacity to 32,800 seats. The project costs about RM 4.5 million. In 1983, the floodlights of the stadium were replaced to make television colour transmission possible. The seating capacity of the stadium was further increased in early 1986 with the addition of upper tiers rising into the airspace on the north, east and south terraces. Prior to
15840-438: The concrete, pour it in, they'd return, and then continue in a chain system. The stadium was completed on 21 August 1957, while the opening ceremony was held on 30 August 1957, a day before the country declared independence. At the time of completion, it was the largest stadium in the Southeast Asia . The opening ceremony was opened by Tunku Abdul Rahman, which was witnessed by over 15,000 spectators, including foreign athletes. It
16016-560: The confluence and therefore the point where it joined the Klang River would be Kuala Lumpur, although this Sungai Lumpur is said to be another river joining the Klang River 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) upstream from the Gombak confluence, or perhaps located to the north of the Batu Caves area. It has also been proposed that Kuala Lumpur was originally named Pengkalan Lumpur ("muddy landing place") in
16192-404: The construction of it began immediately. At the same time, the designing of the covered stands, the upper terraces and the stairs were carried on by the architects. Two contractors were involved in the construction, Lim Quee for the construction of the main covered stands, while Boon & Cheah were responsible for the terrace and the tunnel entrances. Besides designing the stadium, Stanley Jewkes
16368-586: The cultural, financial, tourism, political and economic centre of Malaysia. It is also home to the bicameral Parliament of Malaysia (consisting of the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara ) and the Istana Negara , the official residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (monarch of Malaysia). Kuala Lumpur was first developed around 1857 as a town serving the tin mines of the region, and important figures such as Yap Ah Loy and Frank Swettenham were instrumental in
16544-489: The deaths of 196 people, according to official figures, and led to major changes in the country's economic policy to promote and prioritise Malay economic development over that of other ethnicities. Kuala Lumpur achieved city status on 1 February 1972, becoming the first settlement in Malaysia to be granted the status after independence. Later, on 1 February 1974, Kuala Lumpur became a federal territory . The territory of Kuala Lumpur expanded to 96 square miles by absorbing
16720-426: The design was finished, it was immediately constructed. The stadium was constructed as an earthed amphitheatre , which means that a part of the stadium is below ground level. The excavated soil was then transferred to the site of Masjid Negara which was originally a valley and was subjected to flooding issues. When the earthworks and excavation were completed, designs of the terrace seating had already been done, and
16896-506: The development of a new Kuala Lumpur City Centre around Jalan Ampang and the Petronas Towers , once the world's tallest buildings. The Petronas Towers has since been superseded as the tallest buildings in Kuala Lumpur by The Exchange 106 and Merdeka 118 , which is the second tallest building in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai . The geography of Kuala Lumpur is characterised by
17072-409: The early development of the city during the late 19th century. It served as the capital of Selangor from 1880 until 1978. Kuala Lumpur was the founding capital of the Federation of Malaya and its successor, Malaysia. The city remained the seat of the executive and judicial branches of the Malaysian federal government until these were relocated to Putrajaya in early 1999. However, some sections of
17248-524: The early reign of George VI. The King was constitutionally bound to support British prime minister Neville Chamberlain 's appeasement of Hitler . When the King and Queen greeted Chamberlain on his return from negotiating the Munich Agreement in 1938, they invited him to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with them. This public association of the monarchy with a politician was exceptional, as balcony appearances were traditionally restricted to
17424-617: The economic scope of the city in other service activities, such as research and development, which support the rest of the economy of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur has been home for years to important research centres such as the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia , the Forest Research Institute Malaysia and the Institute of Medical Research. A new financial district for Kuala Lumpur is currently under construction:
17600-479: The edge of the Lake Gardens in 1963. The population of Kuala Lumpur expanded considerably from 1960 to 2018, doubling in size every 13 years. Kuala Lumpur had seen a number of civil disturbances over the years. A riot in 1897 was a relatively minor affair that began with the confiscation of faulty dacing (a scale used by traders), and in 1912, a more serious disturbance called the tauchang riot began during
17776-653: The event on radio, but the Abbey Chapter vetoed the idea (although the Dean , Herbert Edward Ryle , was in favour). From December 1924 to April 1925, the Duke and Duchess toured Kenya , Uganda , and the Sudan , travelling via the Suez Canal and Aden . During the trip, they both went big-game hunting . Because of his stutter, Albert dreaded public speaking. After his closing speech at
17952-652: The evolution of the Dominions into separate sovereign states. The process of transformation from an empire to a voluntary association of independent states, known as the Commonwealth , gathered pace after the Second World War. During the ministry of Clement Attlee , British India became the two independent Dominions of India and Pakistan in August 1947. George relinquished the title of Emperor of India , and became King of India and King of Pakistan instead. In late April 1949,
18128-460: The finals of the Malaysia Cup . The stadium had also hosted all the football matches for the 1965 SEAP Games , 1971 SEAP Games and the 1977 SEA Games , as well as the finals for the 1989 SEA Games . The first match of the stadium was the opening match of the 1957 Independence Football Tournament , on 31 August 1957, between Hong Kong League XI and Cambodia . The Hong Kong League XI became
18304-787: The first mine. Kuala Lumpur was the furthest point up the Klang River to which supplies could conveniently be brought by boat, and therefore became a collection and dispersal point serving the tin mines. Despite a high death toll from the malarial conditions of the jungle, the Ampang mines succeeded, and exported the first tin in 1859. At that time, Sutan Puasa was already trading near Ampang. Two traders from Lukut, Hiu Siew and Yap Ah Sze, arrived in Kuala Lumpur and set up shops to sell provisions to miners in exchange for tin. The town, spurred on by tin-mining, started to develop around Old Market Square ( Medan Pasar ), with roads radiating out towards Ampang as well as Pudu and Batu (the destinations became
18480-512: The first team to win at Independence Stadium beating Cambodia with 6–2. The first goal was scored by Law Kwok-tai . On the next day, the Malayan national team play its first game at the stadium on a match against Burma , which finished 5–2. The national team will win its first Merdeka Cup in 1958 on a match against South Vietnam . The first Malaya Cup final held at the stadium was played on October 19, 1957, between Selangor and Perak . Perak won
18656-424: The game by 2–1. The stadium will host the rest of the matches as well as the final held on December 22, which ended with a tie between Burma and Thailand . In 1989, the Malaysia national football team won their fourth SEA Games goal medal, the first at the stadium. The first Olympic qualification match held at the stadium was the preliminary round between Malaysia and Thailand on 12 October 1964, which resulted
18832-500: The game by 3–2, becoming the first club to win a final at Independence Stadium. Perak also won the first Malaysia Cup at Independence Stadium after the cup was renamed in 1967. The stadium will continue to host 36 Malaysia Cup finals until the 1990s. The stadium had also witnessed the first match played by the newly formed Malaysia national football team , which is a combination of the Malaya and Singapore players (Singapore left in 1965 after
19008-616: The huge Klang Valley , 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 that translates to "muddy confluence" and is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers which flow into the Selangor River. Located in the centre of Selangor state, Kuala Lumpur was
19184-664: The legendary boxer Muhammad Ali and British boxer Joe Bugner in 1975, prior to the Thrilla in Manila . In 1975, the stadium also hosted the Hockey World Cup final between Pakistan and India . The stadium is currently a national heritage building. In 2008, the Independence Stadium received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Excellence for Heritage Conservation owing to its cultural significance and embodiment of
19360-532: The loss of the leg and was treated with a right lumbar sympathectomy in March 1949. His elder daughter and heir presumptive, Elizabeth, took on more royal duties as her father's health deteriorated. The delayed tour was re-organised, with Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , taking the place of the King and Queen. George was well enough to open the Festival of Britain in May 1951, but on 4 June it
19536-524: The market capitalisation stood at US$ 505.67 billion. The gross domestic product (GDP) for Kuala Lumpur is estimated at RM73,536 million in 2008 with an average annual growth rate of 5.9 percent. By 2015, the GDP had reached RM160,388 million, representing 15.1% of the total GDP of Malaysia. The per capita GDP for Kuala Lumpur in 2013 was RM79,752 with an average annual growth rate of 5.6 percent, and RM94,722 in 2015. Average monthly household income
19712-609: The monarch from the Irish constitution . The next day, it passed the External Relations Act , which gave the monarch limited authority (strictly on the advice of the government) to appoint diplomatic representatives for Ireland and to be involved in the making of foreign treaties. The two acts made the Irish Free State a republic in essence without removing its links to the Commonwealth. Across Britain, gossip spread that Albert
19888-527: The name of one of the seven districts of Selangor (six before 1960). The Kuala Lumpur district comprises seven mukims – Sungai Buloh, Batu, Petaling, Ampang, Ulu Klang, Kuala Lumpur and Setapak. The development of a rubber industry in Selangor fueled by the demand for car tyres in the early 20th century led to a boom, and the population of Kuala Lumpur increased from 30,000 in 1900 to 80,000 in 1920. The commercial activities of Kuala Lumpur had been run to
20064-462: The names of these roads: Ampang Road , Pudu Road , and Batu Road ), where miners had also begun to settle in, and Petaling and Damansara . The miners formed gangs and the gangs frequently fought in this period, particularly factions of Kuala Lumpur and Kanching, mainly over control of the best tin mines. Leaders of the Chinese community were conferred the title of Kapitan Cina (Chinese headman) by
20240-530: The national football team last qualified the Olympic Games. However, due to the boycott against the Soviet Union led by the United States, the country did not participate in the final tournament. The stadium was also the venue for the Merdeka Tournament until 1995. Besides that, the stadium had hosted three out of the five Southeast Asian Games held in Kuala Lumpur. The stadium also hosted the fight between
20416-550: The new queen consort , with the Order of the Garter . George VI's coronation at Westminster Abbey took place on 12 May 1937, the date previously intended for Edward's coronation . In a break with tradition, Queen Mary attended the ceremony in a show of support for her son. There was no Durbar held in Delhi for George VI, as had occurred for his father, as the cost would have been a burden to
20592-463: The nickname of the "Industrial Prince". His stutter, and his embarrassment over it, together with a tendency to shyness, caused him to appear less confident in public than his older brother, Edward. However, he was physically active and enjoyed playing tennis. He played at Wimbledon in the Men's Doubles with Louis Greig in 1926, losing in the first round. He developed an interest in working conditions, and
20768-465: The opening and closing ceremony, as well as athletics, football and cycling events. The stadium will continue to host the 1971 , 1977 and 1989 editions. The stadium had also hosted the first SUKMA Games in 1986. It will also be hosting the second SUKMA Games two years later. In 1975, the stadium had hosted third Men's Hockey World Cup from 1 to 15 March 1975. India won its only Hockey World Cup after beating Pakistan by 2–1. The 1975 edition
20944-626: The outskirts of the city. The first municipal election in Kuala Lumpur was held on 16 February 1952. An ad hoc alliance between the Malay UMNO and Chinese MCA party candidates won a majority of the seats, and this led to the formation of the Alliance Party (later the Barisan Nasional ). On 31 August 1957, the Federation of Malaya gained its independence from British rule. The British flag
21120-549: The political bodies still remain in Kuala Lumpur. The city is one of the three Federal Territories of Malaysia , enclaved within the state of Selangor , on the central west coast of Peninsular Malaysia . Since the 1990s, the city has played host to many international sporting, political and cultural events, including the 1998 Commonwealth Games , 2001 Southeast Asian Games , 2017 Southeast Asian Games , Formula One , Moto GP and FIFA World Youth Championships . Kuala Lumpur has undergone rapid development in recent decades and
21296-577: The possibility of building a stadium. On 4 June 1956, a total of 160 proposal plan was submitted to the government. On 2 May 1956, Tunku and McDonald started looking for suitable sites for the stadium, one of the first places they visited was the Chin Woo stadium. While standing on the tower of the stadium, Tunku saw a few athletes practicing near the Coronation Park, and asked "Don't you think it would make an ideal spot for Stadium Merdeka?" Although McDonald
21472-710: The principles of the Statute of Westminster 1931 , which gave full sovereignty to the British Dominions . On 19 May, George personally accepted and approved the letter of credence of the new U.S. ambassador to Canada, Daniel Calhoun Roper ; gave royal assent to nine parliamentary bills; and ratified two international treaties with the Great Seal of Canada . The official royal tour historian, Gustave Lanctot , wrote "the Statute of Westminster had assumed full reality" and George gave
21648-501: The project was estimated to be finished by 2021. The tower, when completed, would be the second tallest building in the world and tallest in Southeast Asia . The tower would include 83 levels of office space, 16 levels of luxury hotel, and the rest of the floors would be occupied observation deck, restaurants, sky lobby, podium and amenities. Besides that, the project would also include a shopping mall and residential areas. The tower
21824-401: The project. The cornerstone of the stadium was laid by Tunku himself on 15 February 1957. Due to budget constraints, most of the construction materials were made locally, which meant that imported materials such as structural steels had to be avoided. To ensure that the stadium would be finished in time, the designing was done by " fast-track " method, which means that after each element of
22000-473: The public. The fear that George would be compared unfavourably to his predecessor was dispelled. They visited the 1939 New York World's Fair and stayed with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House and at his private estate at Hyde Park, New York . A strong bond of friendship was forged between Roosevelt and the royal couple during the tour, which had major significance in the relations between
22176-406: The royal family. While broadly popular among the general public, Chamberlain's policy towards Hitler was the subject of some opposition in the House of Commons , which led historian and politician John Grigg to describe George's behaviour in associating himself so prominently with a politician as "the most unconstitutional act by a British sovereign in the present century". In May and June 1939,
22352-540: The same dangers and deprivations as the rest of the country. They were subject to British rationing restrictions, and the U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt remarked on the rationed food served and the limited bathwater that was permitted during a stay at the unheated and boarded-up Palace. In August 1942, the King's brother, the Duke of Kent, was killed on active service. In 1940, Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as prime minister, though personally George would have preferred to appoint Lord Halifax . After
22528-738: The same way that Klang was once called Pengkalan Batu ("stone landing place"), but became corrupted into Kuala Lumpur. Another theory says that it was initially a Cantonese word lam-pa , meaning 'flooded jungle' or 'decayed jungle'. There is no firm contemporary evidence for these suggestions other than anecdotes. The name may also be a corrupted form of an earlier forgotten name. [REDACTED] Sultanate of Selangor 1857–1974 [REDACTED] Federated Malay States 1895–1942; 1945–1946 [REDACTED] Empire of Japan 1942–1945 [REDACTED] Malayan Union 1946–1948 [REDACTED] Federation of Malaya 1948–1963 [REDACTED] Malaysia 1963–present Kuala Lumpur
22704-469: The schools nearby might be affected by the project and was forced to be relocated. Prior to the completion of National Stadium, Independence Stadium was once the home ground for both the national football team (1957–1998) and Selangor FA (1957–1994), and was used temporary by the Kuala Lumpur FA in 1997. Besides that, it was also the venue for the annual Independence Football Tournament and most of
22880-434: The separation of Singapore with Malaysia). The match took place on 8 August 1963 (although the federation only existed after 16 September 1963) on the first round of the 1963 Merdeka Tournament against Japan. The team was defeated by 3–4. The first South East Asia Peninsular Games football tournament held in Independence Stadium was the opening match between Thailand and South Vietnam on December 15, with Thailand winning
23056-473: The sole local government in Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding urban areas form the most industrialised and economically, the fastest-growing region in Malaysia. Despite the relocation of federal government administration to Putrajaya , certain government institutions such as Bank Negara Malaysia ( National Bank of Malaysia ), Companies Commission of Malaysia and Securities Commission as well as most embassies and diplomatic missions have remained in
23232-646: The stadium had also held four out of six of the SEA Games held in Kuala Lumpur. The stadium first host the Southeast Asia Games (known as the Southeast Asia Peninsular Games at that time) in 1965. Originally, Malaysia was planned to host the Games in 1967, however it was decided to be held in Malaysia after the original host, Laos had opted out due to financial difficulties. The stadium was the venue for
23408-481: The stadium in their Meteora World Tour on 15 October 2003. The concert was attended by over 28,000 audiences. Mariah Carey first perform at the stadium on 20 February 2004 as a part of her Charmbracelet World Tour . She returned to the stadium ten years later in her The Elusive Chanteuse Show on 22 October 2014. Celine Dion performed on 13 April 2008 for a total audience of 48,000 as a part of her Taking Chances World Tour . Avril Lavigne played her first show at
23584-561: The stadium on 29 August 2008. She will return to the stadium again in her Black Star Tour in 2012, and again in 2014 as a part of The Avril Lavigne Tour . Justin Bieber performed at the stadium as a part of his debut world tour on 21 April 2011. Other Western artists who have played the stadium includes Jennifer Lopez , Cliff Richards , Scorpions , Metallica , My Chemical Romance and Bon Jovi . Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai first performed at
23760-503: The stadium on her Myself World Tour on 11 June 2011. She returned to the stadium again for her Play World Tour on 16 July 2016. On the following year, Mandopop singer Wang Leehom held his Music-Man Tour on March 3. He will return to the stadium again on 16 March 2019 as a part of his Descendants of the Dragon 2060 World Tour. Chinese singer Jay Chou first performed at the stadium in 2003 on The One World Tour. The singer performed again at
23936-476: The stadium two years later on his Incomparable World Tour . His third appearance at the stadium was on February 23 as a part of The World Tour . Chou will return for his Invincible World Tour on August 6, 2016. Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur , officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur , and colloquially referred to as KL , is the capital city and a federal territory of Malaysia . It
24112-461: The stadium was the match between Malaysia and South Korea on March 10, 1985. Followed by the completion of the Shah Alam Stadium in 1994, both Selangor FA and the Malaysian national team moved to the newly built stadium. The national team will then move to the National Stadium after its completion in 1998. The Malaysia Cup final was held again at the stadium since 1993, which was the match between Sarawak and Brunei in 1999, which resulted in
24288-491: The stadium, Tunku insisted on building the stadium there. On 11 July, Tunku bought this up to the Legislative Council and gained permission from it. Four days later, the project was transferred to the Malayan Public Works Department. The stadium was constructed from 25 September 1956 to 21 August 1957, and was designed by the then Director of Public Works Department , Stanley Edward Jewkes . Several engineers such as Lee Kwok Thye, Chan Sai Soo and Peter Low were also involved in
24464-447: The staff of the RAF's Cadet Brigade at St Leonards-on-Sea and then at Shorncliffe . He completed a fortnight's training and took command of a squadron on the Cadet Wing. He was the first member of the British royal family to be certified as a fully qualified pilot. Albert wanted to serve on the Continent while the war was still in progress and welcomed a posting to General Trenchard 's staff in France. On 23 October, he flew across
24640-591: The succession, Edward had lost the right to bear royal titles, including "Royal Highness". In settling the issue, George's first act as king was to confer upon Edward the title " Duke of Windsor " with the style "Royal Highness", but the letters patent creating the dukedom prevented any wife or children from bearing royal styles. George VI was forced to buy from Edward the royal residences of Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House , as these were private properties and did not pass to him automatically. Three days after his accession, on his 41st birthday, he invested his wife,
24816-408: The surrounding areas. Kuala Lumpur was ceded by Selangor to be directly controlled by the central government , and it ceased to be capital of Selangor in 1978 after the city of Shah Alam was declared the new state capital. On 14 May 1990, Kuala Lumpur celebrated the centennial of the local council. The new federal territory Kuala Lumpur flag and anthem were introduced. Putrajaya was declared
24992-488: The tour, Smuts lost the election the following year , and the new government instituted a strict policy of racial segregation . The stress of the war had taken its toll on George's health, made worse by his heavy smoking , and subsequent development of lung cancer among other ailments, including arteriosclerosis and Buerger's disease . A planned tour of Australia and New Zealand was postponed after George developed an arterial blockage in his right leg, which threatened
25168-527: The town be rebuilt with wider streets to reduce fire risk. Kapitan Yap Ah Loy bought a sprawling piece of real estate to set up a brick factory for the rebuilding of Kuala Lumpur, the eponymous Brickfields . Demolished atap buildings were replaced with brick and tile buildings, and many of the new brick buildings had " five-foot ways " and Chinese carpentry work. This resulted in a distinct eclectic shop house architecture typical to this region. Kapitan Yap Ah Loy expanded road access, linking tin mines with
25344-455: The trip had been delayed for a week due to George's illness. At the State Opening of Parliament in November, the Lord Chancellor , Lord Simonds , read the King's speech from the throne . The King's Christmas broadcast of 1951 was recorded in sections, and then edited together. On 31 January 1952, despite advice from those close to him, George went to London Airport to see Elizabeth and Philip off on their tour to Australia via Kenya. It
25520-420: The twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson . As heir presumptive to Edward VIII, Albert became king, taking the regnal name George VI. In September 1939, the British Empire and most Commonwealth countries— but not Ireland — declared war on Nazi Germany , following the invasion of Poland . War with the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire of Japan followed in 1940 and 1941, respectively. George VI
25696-415: Was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of India from 1936 until the British Raj was dissolved in August 1947, and the first head of the Commonwealth following the London Declaration of 1949. The future George VI was born during the reign of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria ; he
25872-412: Was His Highness Prince Albert of York; within the royal family he was known informally as "Bertie". The Duchess of Teck did not like the first name her grandson had been given, and she wrote prophetically that she hoped the last name "may supplant the less favoured one". Albert was fourth in line to the throne at birth, after his grandfather, father and elder brother, Edward . Albert was ill often and
26048-432: Was also Tunku himself who placed the foundation stone on 15 February 1957. The ceremony includes a mass drill performance by 1000 students. On 31 August 1957, power was transferred from the British Empire to the newly independent Malayan government. More than 20,000 people crowded into the stadium, which was built specifically for this occasion. The ceremony was attended by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester , representing
26224-460: Was also responsible for the traffic planning around the stadium. Other than Stanley, architect Edgar Green was also involved in the designing of the interior facilities such as the toilets and the canteen facilities of the restaurant. The stadium held two world records upon its completion: the tallest prestressed floodlight towers at 120 feet and the biggest cantilever shell roofs . The floodlight towers, constructed from Hume culvert pipes ,
26400-410: Was also the first prestressed tower in the world which was made from precast culvert pipe units. Another interesting feat accomplished at the time is that all four towers were erected without using a crane. The shell roof for the grandstand, made out of concrete, was chosen as it was both economically affordable and aesthetically beautiful. Although the strength of the cantilever roofs were tested before
26576-401: Was announced that he would need immediate and complete rest for the next four weeks, despite the arrival of Haakon VII of Norway the following afternoon for an official visit. On 23 September 1951, his left lung was removed in a surgical operation performed by Clement Price Thomas after a malignant tumour was found. In October 1951, Elizabeth and Philip went on a month-long tour of Canada;
26752-494: Was born in 1926, and Margaret who was born in 1930. The close family lived at White Lodge, Richmond Park , and then at 145 Piccadilly , rather than one of the royal palaces. In 1931, the Canadian prime minister , R. B. Bennett , considered Albert for Governor General of Canada —a proposal that King George V rejected on the advice of the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs , J. H. Thomas . King George V had severe reservations about Prince Edward, saying "After I am dead,
26928-401: Was built on the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (also known as Merdeka Park ), which was built alongside the Independence Stadium. Such a move was criticized as the park was supposed to act as a heritage buffer zone. Plus, the park was also a recreation park for the residents in Kuala Lumpur for generations. The project might as well worsen the traffic congestion of that area. There was also concern that
27104-400: Was concerned about the traffic congestion that might arise in the future, Tunku insisted that it was the perfect spot for the country's first stadium. The site was a Chinese cemetery before it became the oldest golf course in Kuala Lumpur, which had been abandoned since 1921. The site was then later called "Coronation Park" when George VI was crowned as the King of United Kingdom . Before it
27280-445: Was decided to build a stadium on that site, several quarters were planned to be built on the site by the Royal Malaysia Police . The uneven ground of the site means that excavation work had to be carried out before it could be constructed. The construction of the stadium would also mean that a small part of the school ground of Victoria Institution would be acquired. Despite McDonald's efforts to persuade Tunku to choose another site for
27456-433: Was described as "easily frightened and somewhat prone to tears". His parents were generally removed from their children's day-to-day upbringing, as was the norm in aristocratic families of that era. He had a stutter that lasted for many years. Although naturally left-handed , he was forced to write with his right hand, as was common practice at the time. He had chronic stomach problems as well as knock knees , for which he
27632-427: Was echoed by the crowd. This was followed by the playing of the nobat orchestra and the national anthem played by the Royal Malaysia Police Band. It was then followed by a 101-gun salute by the first round of the Federation artillery. The event ended with the prayer by the Mufti of Negeri Sembilan, Ahmad Mohammad Said. The role of the stadium as the principal venue for celebrations and sporting events in Kuala Lumpur
27808-429: Was forced to wear painful corrective splints. Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901, and the Prince of Wales succeeded her as King Edward VII. Prince Albert moved up to third in line to the throne, after his father and elder brother. Beginning in 1909, Albert attended the Royal Naval College, Osborne , as a naval cadet . In 1911 he came bottom of the class in the final examination, but despite this he progressed to
27984-456: Was formed by the Kuala Lumpur Municipal Commissioners to study the proposal, and a report was released three months later. Several proposals were also brought up to the Federal Legislative Council on this matter, including Tunku himself, but was blocked by the council. After the winning of the Alliance Party in the first general election in Malaya , Tunku, who was now the Chief Minister, started an advisory committee led by E.M. McDonald to study
28160-511: Was held in Kuala Lumpur . The event was held from 19 to 23 October. Aside from that, the stadium was also regularly used for national championships. The Independence Stadium had also hosted major concerts. Uriah Heep held its first Malaysian concert at the stadium on 19 October 1983. Michael Jackson 's HIStory World Tour filled the stadium to capacity. Jackson performed two sold-out concerts on 27 and 29 October 1996, respectively, in front of 55,000 people each night. Linkin Park performed at
28336-407: Was held three months later. About 20,000 spectators witnessed the fight in the stadium, including the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Prime Minister, several kings and governors, as well as Joe Frazier , Ali's former adversary. Ali won the fight by 73–67, 73–65 and 72–65 after the mandatory 15 rounds were over. In athletics, the stadium was also used to held the 1991 Asian Athletics Championships , which
28512-506: Was his last public appearance. Six days later, at 07:30 GMT on the morning of 6 February, he was found dead in bed at Sandringham House in Norfolk. He had died in the night from a coronary thrombosis at the age of 56. His daughter flew back to Britain from Kenya as Queen Elizabeth II. From 9 February George's coffin rested in St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, before lying in state at Westminster Hall from 11 February. His funeral took place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle , on
28688-428: Was lowered and the Malayan flag raised for the first time at the Padang at midnight on 30 August 1957, and on the morning of 31 August, the ceremony for the Declaration of Independence was held at the Merdeka Stadium by the first Prime Minister of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman . Kuala Lumpur remained the capital after the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. The Malaysian Houses of Parliament were completed at
28864-432: Was mollified by the proposal to name the new baby Albert, and wrote to the Duchess of York: "I am all impatience to see the new one, born on such a sad day but rather more dear to me, especially as he will be called by that dear name which is a byword for all that is great and good." Consequently, he was baptised "Albert Frederick Arthur George" at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham on 17 February 1896. Formally he
29040-447: Was named World Book Capital 2020 by UNESCO . In 2024, Kuala Lumpur was ranked second for the best outstanding city in Southeast Asia after Singapore and 135th in the world by the Oxford Economic Papers ' Global Cities Index. Kuala Lumpur means "muddy confluence" in Malay ; Kuala is the point where two rivers join or an estuary , and lumpur means "mud". One suggestion is that it was named after Sungai Lumpur ("muddy river"); in
29216-409: Was named Albert at birth after his great-grandfather Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and was known as "Bertie" to his family and close friends. His father ascended the throne as George V in 1910. As the second son of the king, Albert was not expected to inherit the throne. He spent his early life in the shadow of his elder brother, Edward , the heir apparent . Albert attended naval college as
29392-429: Was now owned by Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB). Several options were suggested following the acquirement of the site by PNB, such as redeveloping the stadium for smaller sporting activities, building a sport museum at the site, or relocate it to another site. Nonetheless, the stadium remained as a site for sporting events and concert until this day. The stadium had been through several renovations. First in 1974 when
29568-412: Was physically and psychologically incapable of being king. No evidence has been found to support the contemporaneous rumour that the government considered bypassing him, his children and his brother Prince Henry, in favour of their younger brother Prince George, Duke of Kent. This seems to have been suggested on the grounds that Prince George was at that time the only brother with a son . Albert assumed
29744-439: Was president of the Industrial Welfare Society . His series of annual summer camps for boys between 1921 and 1939 brought together boys from different social backgrounds. In a time when royalty were expected to marry fellow royalty, it was unusual that Albert had a great deal of freedom in choosing a prospective wife. An infatuation with the already-married Australian socialite Lady Loughborough came to an end in April 1920 when
29920-485: Was promoted to squadron leader the following day. In October 1919, Albert attended Trinity College, Cambridge , where he studied history, economics and civics for a year, with the historian R. V. Laurence as his "official mentor". On 4 June 1920 his father created him Duke of York , Earl of Inverness and Baron Killarney . He began to take on more royal duties. He represented his father and toured coal mines, factories, and railyards. Through such visits he acquired
30096-457: Was ranked the 6th most-visited city in the world on the Mastercard Destination Cities Index in 2019. The city houses three of the world's ten largest shopping malls. Kuala Lumpur ranks 70th in the world and the second in Southeast Asia after Singapore for the Economist Intelligence Unit 's Global Liveability Ranking and ninth in ASPAC and second in Southeast Asia after Singapore for KPMG 's Leading Technology Innovation Hub 2021. Kuala Lumpur
30272-412: Was replaced by the National Stadium built in the mid-1990s. The stadium and its land were given to United Engineers Malaysia (UEM) which had intended to redevelop the land into a RM 1 billion entertainment and office complex. However, the company did not proceed with the redevelopment due to public outcry and the company's financial difficulties due to the late 1990s Asian economic crisis. The stadium
30448-444: Was seen as sharing the hardships of the common people and his popularity soared. Buckingham Palace was bombed during the Blitz while the King and Queen were there, and his younger brother the Duke of Kent was killed on active service. George became known as a symbol of British determination to win the war. Britain and its allies were victorious in 1945, but the British Empire declined. Ireland had largely broken away , followed by
30624-409: Was the 34th anniversary of the death of his great-grandfather Albert, Prince Consort . Uncertain of how the Prince Consort's widow, Queen Victoria, would take the news of the birth, the Prince of Wales wrote to the Duke of York that the Queen had been "rather distressed". Two days later, he wrote again: "I really think it would gratify her if you yourself proposed the name Albert to her." The Queen
30800-428: Was the largest stadium in the Southeast Asia at the time of completion. The stadium was the principal venue in Kuala Lumpur for celebrations and sporting events until 1998 when the National Stadium was built for the 16th Commonwealth Games . Prior to that, the stadium was the home ground for the Malaysian national football team . The stadium witnessed the historic qualifying match of the 1980 Olympic Games , when
30976-425: Was then poured into the framework. They come to the site in black clothes, usually on bicycles. Their sleeves were extra long so that they could use them as gloves. They wore big straw hats with a hood. There were big gangs of them, each carrying two small buckets of concrete that was premixed at ground level. They walked up a ramp to take them right up to the top of the construction. A man would be up there to receive
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