Dataran Merdeka, or Independence Square, is situated on the ‘padang’ or playing field of the former Royal Selangor Club, where expats would play cricket and rugby. On 31 August 1957, just past midnight, this was the site of the declaration of independence for the Federation of Malaya (later to become what is now modern Malaysia, after the merger with the states of Sabah and Sarawak and the expulsion of Singapore), though the famous – and powerful – “Merdeka!…Merdeka!…” speech actually took place at Merdeka Stadium later on in the day. It was formally renamed Dataran Merdeka in 1990.
Today, it’s a public space to commemorate independence, and as such it has been the site of a few public protests. The square itself is open, with a few points of interest. At one end is a huge flagpole, which locals might tell you is the tallest in the world (it might once have been, but now it’s not even in the top ten in Asia), from which flies an enormous Malaysian flag. Quite the sight on a windy day. There’s also a big TV screen which mostly shows ads, but can presumably be used for more interesting things.
At the other end is a concrete colonnade with a fountain. It’s probably the least interesting part of the square, honestly, as on one of the long sides is the Royal Selangor Club with its mock Tudor facade, and on the other (across a wide road) is a series of buildings featuring colonial architecture. This starts with the Moorish-inspired Sultan Abdul Samad building, then the city theatre with its Islamic arches and chhatris (indo-Islamic domes), and the former High Court, which is back to Moorish-style.
Behind the flagpole are the KL City Gallery and the building which used to house the Music Museum (now at the National Museum), and to the southeast is the National Textile Museum. Finally, roughly under the flagpole is Dataran Underground.
With all of these tourist destinations in one place, it’s worth making the small walk round the corner from Masjid Jamek LRT – but bring water and a hat, as there is very little shade.
Address: Jalan Raja, 50050 Kuala Lumpur
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