Muzium Telekom Malaysia

I think it was my second visit to the museum located at Jalan Raja Chulan in Kuala Lumpur. But only this time I am writing this post because when I first visited it in the 90s, blog is not around yet.
The museum is open to the public daily from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm except on public holidays and entrance is FREE.

THE BUILDING
The musuem was built during the colonial days in 1928 to place the central battery version of main manual telephone. it was build with an undeground space and orderly floor for the installation of telecomunications facilitiesand became the main telephone office back then.
It was built with a “G” style and has internal boundary corridors with a service court. Like all other colonia buildings at that time, this double-storey building was build by carpentary according to its weights and structires. To suit the cables installation for telephonic hall at the second floor, wooden floors supported by metal crossbars were built. Glass windows were built with symmetry and dolled up to show the neo-classic style, adaptation from the 19th Century. One of the classic and unique architecture is the 8 lonia pillars between 2 towers facing Jalan Gereja.

 

Photo: The museum from Jalan Gereja. Notice the 8 lonia pillars?

HISTORY OF TELECOMUNICATION IN MALAYSIA
It began in 1870 with telegraph services linking the island of Penang, Malacca and Singapore to London via submarine cables. In 1876, the first telegraphic communication began between Taiping and Kuala Kangsar. The first telephone was installed in Kuala Lumpur in 1891and when the manual telephone exchange was built in 1928, the telephone service started to grow.
In 1938, the manual system was replaced by semi-automatic system. Telecommunications in Malaysia then entered the broadcasting era when radio station in Kenny Hill began broadcasting in 1936.
Then in 1958, the first microwave station in Bukit Nanas was completed, This allows the first national station television broadcast in 1963. Phone service moved into modern era when connection remotely dial (STD) was introduced in 1962. International direct dialing service (IDD) was introduced in 1979. Mobile phone services or ATUR 450 was introduced in 1985.
WELCOME TO THE MUSEUM

		antique phones on display VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

		Some of the exhibits VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

On the second floor visitors will be able to walk the journey through moment in time relating the growth of telecomunication in Malaysia beginning in 1874 when the telephone make its debut in Perak to the use of  internet and Skype .
ADDRESS
Muzium Telekom
Tingkat 2, Jalan Raja Chulan,
50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 603-2031 9966  Fax: 603-2031 5925
Website: www.muziumtelekom.com.my
References: Pamphlet- discovery of Telecommunications in Malaysia produced by Muzium Telekom.

Lorong Kulit -Pasar Karat

Lorong Kulit beside the Penang City Stadium is where you can find new and old items on sale at cheap price. From modern day shirt including jerseys of your favourite EPL teams or Serie A to jeans and pants, fruits, cakes, pirated CD and VCD and DVDs to antiques and discarded items, you can find it here. The daily open market is open daily from morning till noon.

According to a friend this open market was at Rope Walk in the city centre but was moved to the present place which is more convenient for locals and tourist alike. Antique hunters can visit the market daily and hunt what they need. On one visit there was a second hand Nissan Sunny on sale.






HOW TO GO

The market is located at the vicinity of the Stadium Bolasepak Pulau Pinang between Lorong Kulit and Jalan Perak. It is reachable from Komtar if you drive along Jalan Datuk Keramat. Upon reaching the junction of  Jalan Perak turn left onto Jalan Perak and then turn right onto the Stadium car park. Just park your car there because you might find it hard to get a parking space along Lorong Kulit.  The Google Maps below might be of some help.

Trishaw Rides In Malaysia

The days when trishaws is a mode of transport is coming to an end. I remember when I was young I travel to school on a trishaw. My father did not own any car in those days.

There not many places left where we can still see trishaws on the road still servicing people who want to commute or to carry light goods. As far as I have travel around the country, these three wheeled man-powered vehicle can still be seen in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Penang and Malacca. In most parts of Malaysia it is safe to say that trishaw services have come to a stage of extinction, I think. Today the livelihood of trishaw peddlar has been affected when there are cars, motorcycles and the more convenient public transportation are available.

However this mode of transport in Malacca and Penang had been given a new lease of life by the authority as a tourist attraction. In both cities, the government help make this trishaw peddlar keep earning their living by turning trishaws into a tourist commodity. The picture tells all. In Malay the trishaw is called "beca".

If you visit Malacca and Penang please add in a trishaw ride on your travel itenary. It will be an experience worth your money.