Royal Selangor Club
Encyclopedia
The Royal Selangor Club is a social club in Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia, founded in 1884 by the British
who ruled Malaya
. The club is situated next to the Dataran Merdeka
, or Independence Square, padang (field), and is accessible from Jalan Raja (Raja Road). The Club will play host to certain matches from the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup.
from 1942 to 1945, and the 1970 fire that damaged the club (see #Flooding and fire).
The club was founded as the Selangor Club in 1884 as a meeting point for educated and high-ranking members of British colonial
society. Nevertheless, membership to the club is primarily determined by high educational and social standards, rather than race or citizenship. The organisation was initially based in a small wooden building with an attap roof at near the north eastern corner of the padang, which was replaced by a two-storey structure in 1890 on the west side of the padang, the present site of the club, and designed by AC Norman, a Government Architect. The building was later redesigned by architect Arthur Benison Hubback (who was notably credited for the design of the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station
) and rebuilt in 1910, with two additional wings on either side of the main building and a Mock Tudor
styling.
The club was nicknamed "The Spotted Dog" as two Dalmatian
s belonging to the wife of one of the club founders were left to guard the entrance of the club whenever they visited the club. The club is also simply referred to as "The Dog".
Over the years, the club's membership increased and had also begun to include high-ranking Malaysian civil servants: judges, lawyers and important people in society. The club's proximity to the High Courts at the other side of Dataran Merdeka has also made the club a suitable meeting place for the legal fraternity.
ing in Kuala Lumpur. Between the start of the 1910s and 1930s, the club was recorded to be hit by floods in 1911, 1917, December 1925 and December 1926.
On 20 December, 1970, the main section of the club was razed in a fire which was believe to have started from its kitchen at around 10.30 p.m. and was contained within an hour by 50 fire fighters (including 20 who were off-duty). Property damage from the fire was estimated to cost more than M$
1.5 million, but there were no casualties. During the fire, guests of a children's Christmas party in the club were safely evacuated with "no panic." The then president of the club, Khir Johari
, stated that the club was assured for M$1 million. Shortly after, another flood struck Kuala Lumpur and the club three days after the start of 1971.
, an area near the Houses of Parliament
, an area near a polo
club in Ampang
, and Damansara
) with little success. Discussions were eventually made with City Hall to agree on the club's rebuilding. As a result, plans for a civic center in the area were abandoned, and City Hall granted the reconstruction of the club's new building in July 1978. The new wing, which was built in a similar Mock Tudor
style as the rest of the club building, was constructed between 5 November, 1978 to December 1980 at a cost of M$6 million.
.
Sporting events at the club can be viewed from the Long Bar, a portion of the club which has been off limits to women, purportedly because men "would drink and get very excited when they watched the games and they didn't want the ladies to see their exuberant behaviour, hence it was decided to ban women visitors from the Long Bar". Women are still prohibited from the bar area today, contrary to a 2007 report by The Star, a local English daily.
The club is also notable for introducing hash running
in 1938. During the World Interhash in 1998, an exception was made to allow women into the Long Bar.
, had long belonged to the club before the was taken back by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall in 1987 to be used specifically for events organised by City Hall. Throughout the time when the field was owned by the club, sporting activities such as cricket matches were held there. The club's loss of the field was compensated with a piece of land in Bukit Kiara
, which is currently the Royal Selangor Club Bukit Kiara Annexe.
The club is one of the oldest in the country, serving as a British institution, and is witness to the first hoisting of the Malayan flag
in place of the Union Jack
on the night of 30 August, 1957 and declaration of independence by Tunku Abdul Rahman
(to which club members broke into cheers of happiness), signifying the country's independence from the British. In 1984, the club was awarded a royal status under the patronage of the Sultan of Selangor
, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, who has voiced his support for the club's preservation during its 100th anniversary celebration, stating that "This institution should remain forever."
5.5 kilometres away from the original clubhouse, which was given as compensation after the original club's field was acquired by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall in 1987. The facilities was officially opened on 7 June, 1998 by Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Tuanku Jaafar
. The annexe is laid out in a similar manner as the original club, with the main club building facing a large field and designed in a similar architectural style as the original club buildings. The annexe also includes a swimming pool at the rear of the building.
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia, founded in 1884 by the British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
who ruled Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
. The club is situated next to the Dataran Merdeka
Dataran Merdeka
Merdeka Square is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is situated in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. It was here the Union Flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957...
, or Independence Square, padang (field), and is accessible from Jalan Raja (Raja Road). The Club will play host to certain matches from the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup.
History and overview
While the club is more than 100 years old, much of its early records were lost during the three-years Japanese occupation of MalayaJapanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak
Throughout much of World War II, British Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were under Japanese occupation.The Japanese Empire commenced the Pacific War with the invasion of Kota Bahru in Kelantan on 8 December 1941 at 00:25, about 90 minutes before the Attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii at 07:48 on 7...
from 1942 to 1945, and the 1970 fire that damaged the club (see #Flooding and fire).
The club was founded as the Selangor Club in 1884 as a meeting point for educated and high-ranking members of British colonial
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
society. Nevertheless, membership to the club is primarily determined by high educational and social standards, rather than race or citizenship. The organisation was initially based in a small wooden building with an attap roof at near the north eastern corner of the padang, which was replaced by a two-storey structure in 1890 on the west side of the padang, the present site of the club, and designed by AC Norman, a Government Architect. The building was later redesigned by architect Arthur Benison Hubback (who was notably credited for the design of the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station is a train station located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Completed in 1910 to replace an older station on the same site, the station was Kuala Lumpur's railway hub in the city for the Federated Malay States Railways and Malayan Railway , before Kuala Lumpur Sentral...
) and rebuilt in 1910, with two additional wings on either side of the main building and a Mock Tudor
Tudorbethan architecture
The Tudor Revival architecture of the 20th century , first manifested itself in domestic architecture beginning in the United Kingdom in the mid to late 19th century based on a revival of aspects of Tudor style. It later became an influence in some other countries, especially the British colonies...
styling.
The club was nicknamed "The Spotted Dog" as two Dalmatian
Dalmatian (dog)
The Dalmatian is a breed of dog whose roots are often said to trace back to Dalmatia, a region of Croatia where the first illustrations of the dog have been found. The Dalmatian is noted for its unique black- or brown-spotted coat and was mainly used as a carriage dog in its early days...
s belonging to the wife of one of the club founders were left to guard the entrance of the club whenever they visited the club. The club is also simply referred to as "The Dog".
Over the years, the club's membership increased and had also begun to include high-ranking Malaysian civil servants: judges, lawyers and important people in society. The club's proximity to the High Courts at the other side of Dataran Merdeka has also made the club a suitable meeting place for the legal fraternity.
Flooding and fire
The Royal Selangor Club was not spared from frequent floodFlood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing in Kuala Lumpur. Between the start of the 1910s and 1930s, the club was recorded to be hit by floods in 1911, 1917, December 1925 and December 1926.
On 20 December, 1970, the main section of the club was razed in a fire which was believe to have started from its kitchen at around 10.30 p.m. and was contained within an hour by 50 fire fighters (including 20 who were off-duty). Property damage from the fire was estimated to cost more than M$
Malaysian ringgit
The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen...
1.5 million, but there were no casualties. During the fire, guests of a children's Christmas party in the club were safely evacuated with "no panic." The then president of the club, Khir Johari
Khir Johari
Tan Sri Mohd Khir Johari was a Malaysian politician and the former Malaysian Minister of Education.Born on January 29, 1923, in Alor Star, Kedah, Mohd Khir was a Member of Parliament from 1955 to 1982...
, stated that the club was assured for M$1 million. Shortly after, another flood struck Kuala Lumpur and the club three days after the start of 1971.
Rebuilding after the fire
After the fire, plans were made by the club to rebuild what was damaged. Proposals were made on a new wing and submitted to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall in 1972. However, City Hall was suggesting the construction of a civic center over the site of the club's field and club. The initial response by the club was to search for a new site in the surrounding area (including Jalan DutaJalan Duta
Jalan Duta is a major road in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which spans from the adjoining roundabout of Jalan Kuching, which the high flyover would take traffic straight into Jalan Ipoh and ends at the Parliament where it adjoins Jalan Mahameru...
, an area near the Houses of Parliament
Malaysian Houses of Parliament
The Malaysian Houses of Parliament is a building complex where the Malaysian Parliament assembles. The structure is located at the Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, right next to the Malaysian National Monument.-Description:...
, an area near a polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
club in Ampang
Ampang
Ampang is a suburb of Kuala Lumpur in the Titiwangsa constituency, partly located in the state of Selangor, Malaysia and was historically a tin mining town. Its area in Kuala Lumpur is identified as being along the Ampang Road and Ampang Hilir.-History:...
, and Damansara
Damansara
Damansara may refer to:*Damansara, Selangor - a subdistrict of Petaling of Selangor.*Damansara, Kuala Lumpur*Damansara River* Kota Damansara of Petaling Jaya city - a constituency and community in Sungai Buloh subdistrict of Petaling District...
) with little success. Discussions were eventually made with City Hall to agree on the club's rebuilding. As a result, plans for a civic center in the area were abandoned, and City Hall granted the reconstruction of the club's new building in July 1978. The new wing, which was built in a similar Mock Tudor
Tudorbethan architecture
The Tudor Revival architecture of the 20th century , first manifested itself in domestic architecture beginning in the United Kingdom in the mid to late 19th century based on a revival of aspects of Tudor style. It later became an influence in some other countries, especially the British colonies...
style as the rest of the club building, was constructed between 5 November, 1978 to December 1980 at a cost of M$6 million.
Sports and recreation
The club has organised various sporting activities since its early years, including cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
.
Sporting events at the club can be viewed from the Long Bar, a portion of the club which has been off limits to women, purportedly because men "would drink and get very excited when they watched the games and they didn't want the ladies to see their exuberant behaviour, hence it was decided to ban women visitors from the Long Bar". Women are still prohibited from the bar area today, contrary to a 2007 report by The Star, a local English daily.
The club is also notable for introducing hash running
Hash House Harriers
The Hash House Harriers is an international group of non-competitive running, social and drinking clubs...
in 1938. During the World Interhash in 1998, an exception was made to allow women into the Long Bar.
Dataran Merdeka field
The field or padang affront the Royal Selangor Club, now known as Dataran MerdekaDataran Merdeka
Merdeka Square is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is situated in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. It was here the Union Flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957...
, had long belonged to the club before the was taken back by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall in 1987 to be used specifically for events organised by City Hall. Throughout the time when the field was owned by the club, sporting activities such as cricket matches were held there. The club's loss of the field was compensated with a piece of land in Bukit Kiara
Bukit Kiara
Bukit Kiara is an affluent suburb of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The area is in proximity to the suburbs of Bukit Damansara, TTDI, Mont Kiara, Sri Hartamas and Bangsar. Bukit Kiara has often been described as the 'green lung' of Kuala Lumpur, boasting many jungle trails through its characteristic hills...
, which is currently the Royal Selangor Club Bukit Kiara Annexe.
Recognition
Effort has been made to accumulate support from various bodies to recognise the club as a national heritage building and institution, due to its intertwined link with the country's history.The club is one of the oldest in the country, serving as a British institution, and is witness to the first hoisting of the Malayan flag
Flag of Malaysia
-Flag anthem:The Jalur Gemilang flag anthem was introduced in 1997. The lyrics were written by Pak Ngah.-Original lyrics:-Flag anthem:The Jalur Gemilang flag anthem was introduced in 1997. The lyrics were written by Pak Ngah.-Original lyrics:-Flag anthem:...
in place of the Union Jack
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
on the night of 30 August, 1957 and declaration of independence by Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
(to which club members broke into cheers of happiness), signifying the country's independence from the British. In 1984, the club was awarded a royal status under the patronage of the Sultan of Selangor
Sultan of Selangor
Sultan of Selangor is the title of the constitutional ruler of Selangor, Malaysia.-Bugis bloodline:The Sultans of Selangor are descended from a Bugis dynasty that claim descent from the rulers of Luwu in the southern part of Celebes...
, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, who has voiced his support for the club's preservation during its 100th anniversary celebration, stating that "This institution should remain forever."
Royal Selangor Club Kiara Sport Annexe
The Royal Selangor Club Kiara Sport Annexe is a branch of the Royal Selangor Club built over a piece of land in Bukit KiaraBukit Kiara
Bukit Kiara is an affluent suburb of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The area is in proximity to the suburbs of Bukit Damansara, TTDI, Mont Kiara, Sri Hartamas and Bangsar. Bukit Kiara has often been described as the 'green lung' of Kuala Lumpur, boasting many jungle trails through its characteristic hills...
5.5 kilometres away from the original clubhouse, which was given as compensation after the original club's field was acquired by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall in 1987. The facilities was officially opened on 7 June, 1998 by Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
Tuanku Jaafar
Tuanku Jaafar
Duli Yang Maha Mulia Almarhum Tuanku Ja'afar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman, GCB was the tenth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 26 April 1994 until 25 April 1999 and the fourth Yang di-Pertuan Besar of modern Negeri Sembilan.-Early life and education:The second son of Tuanku Abdul Rahman...
. The annexe is laid out in a similar manner as the original club, with the main club building facing a large field and designed in a similar architectural style as the original club buildings. The annexe also includes a swimming pool at the rear of the building.
See also
- Royal Selangor Golf Club
- Royal Selangor Polo Club
- Royal Selangor Yacht Club
- Royal Selangor Flying Club
- Royal Lake Club