(Source: The Star)
There has been a lot of hype in the Barisan Nasional owned mainstream media about the proposed change of the name of Klang’s famous "Little India" to "Medan Kelana" by the Majlis Perbandaran Klang. (Read today's the Star online's report, here). A lot of hogwash to politicize the issue and mislead the public, I think.
As a former long time denizen of Port Klang, I cannot recall ever seeing any signboard along Jalan Tengku Kelana (photo), which says that the place is indeed officially named "Little India". What everybody seems to forget is that it is only a convenient nickname for the neighbourhood, the same way that KL's Brickfields and even Singapore's Serangoon Road areas are also well known as "Little Indias".
Also the same way, I suppose, that Kuala Lumpur's Petaling Street or even Singapore's Selegie Road areas are also still today known as "China Towns" when the whole bloody city is one big China town.
Sheeesh.
Sir,
ReplyDeleteI used to visit my maternal grandparents in Port Swettenham in the 60's & 70's. I could still remember this so called "little India" was near the Klang oldtown bus station. There wasn't that many Indian shops then (please correct me if I'm wrong). So how could someone claimed (in Star) that it has been a "little India" for 50 years? Though, recently I visted the place & was shocked to see that almost the whole area was occupied with Indian shops!
It seemed that it's a trend that many old towns are slowly converting into "little India". Take the old towns of Rawang & Nilai as examples. When old landloards (majority Chinese)moved out to new Taman/new towns, usually the Indians would buy/take over. I believe, old towns of Johor Baru & Seremban will follow the same fate.
I'm not against people nick named the area as "little India", but don't whack the BandarRaya for naming it as Medan Kelana & claimed that historically it was "Little India".
We can nick name our Chow Kit Road as "little Jakarta" for tourist attraction also. I hope we could have more, besides China town, how about Rohingya town, Bangla Street, or even Russian town?
M. Amir.
Capt.
ReplyDeleteI believe there was a move by the previous MPK administration to gazette the area as Little India but this has come to nought after the general elections.
I also believe this latest move is from a directive from the palace, but I stand corrected.
Klangite
apa la nak disibukkan pasal bebenda tu.. anak-anak kita kat pusat serenti semua tu dah sehat ke? little india? china town? Malay Serenti ada tak?
ReplyDeletekapitan
Capt - Selegie Road in Singapore is not quite Chinatown. The Chinatown is around Eu Tong Sen/Smith St/Pagoda St/Mosque St/Sago St/People's Park area.
ReplyDeleteAnon 16:18
ReplyDeleteThank you. I stand corrected.