Old walls, hidden histories: KL’s weathered facades reveal stories of a changing city - The Straits Times

Restoration work on a heritage building facade in progress at Medan Pasar in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 13.

KUALA LUMPUR – For years, I had driven past Kuala Lumpur’s (KL) oldest streets without stopping to wonder what lay behind their ageing facades. On a Tuesday evening, I returned on foot without a schedule to keep, eager to take a closer look at a city centre I had long overlooked.

To many, these streets may appear to be just another row of colonial-era shophouses, overshadowed by KL’s skyscrapers. Yet behind those weathered walls are stories of traders, businesses and communities that shaped the Malaysian capital.