Federal Territory Day 2012

Very soon it will be FT Day! Not many Malaysians would realise that come 1st February 2012, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur will be celebrating the 38th anniversary of its founding. Federal Territory Day or Hari Wilayah Persekutuan is a state holiday for Federal Territory in Malaysia. It is celebrated on 1 February every year in Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya. This date marks the anniversary of formation of the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory in 1974.

The Federal Territories in Malaysia comprise of three territories namely Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital of Malaysia, Putrajaya is the administrative capital, and Labuan is an offshore international financial centre. Both Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya are enclaves in the state of Selangor, while Labuan is an island off the coast of Sabah. The official anthem of the territories is "Maju dan Sejahtera", which means "Progress and Prosperity". Each federal territory has its own flag.

Flag of Kuala Lumpur

Flag  of Labuan

Flag of Putrajaya

The Federal Territory encompasses the actual city of Kuala Lumpur, the nation's capital, and its outlying areas known locally as the Klang Valley. An urban centre, the Federal Territory's principal tourist attraction is the nation's capital itself, Kuala Lumpur. The city itself has a long history, dating back to the 18th century when it began as a mining town.

Most tourist attractions are located within the city, such as the historical landmarks that trace Malaysia's development, and the various shopping malls that offer a wide variety of international brands. There are also various handicraft centres, including the historic Central Market where tourists can purchase authentic traditional handicraft and souvenirs.

KL Central Market

Petronas Twin Towers

As the nation's capital, Kuala Lumpur also hosts various international events and exhibitions at modern venues like the Petronas Twin Towers and the Putra World Trade Centre. Although most of the attractions are located within the city limits, there are an amazing selection of great food outlets at the outlying areas of the Klang Valley. Most of these outlets, however, are known mostly to locals and are often hidden in residential areas. Selamat Hari Wilayah!

Oops...The rain did it again....

Heavy rain once again caused flash floods in KL yesterday for the second day in a row after it created havoc in the city the day before. It caused flash floods in various parts of the capital and even in places where floods have not occurred in a long time. In just less than hour, it caused a river to overflow its banks and wreaking havoc on thousands of commuters. Motorists were stuck in bad traffic jams, while others were affected by faulty traffic lights. Even the basement car park of a popular shopping complex in Jalan Bukit Bintang was reported to be under water up to knee level. Many could not drive their cars out of the basement and had to wait until the water level receded at about 8pm. Heavy downpour has awaken Sungai Bunus (a tiny river which flows past Kg Baru, Jalan Semarak and some parts of Setapak) to overflow its banks.