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 Opposite the Sultan Abdul Samad
Building is Dataran Merdeka or Merdeka Square, an
immaculately-turf 8.2 hectare area of historical
interest and it is this place where the annual National
Day celebrations are held. This is a favorite tourist
area in Malaysia whereby you can see a hundred meter high flagpole
(the tallest flagpole in the world) marks the spot where
the Malayan flag was hoisted on the 31st August of 1957
signifying the independence of the country from British
rule and also seen here in the Merdeka Square is a flat,
round black marble plague which marks the exact spot
where the Union Jack was lowered at midnight on the 30th
August 1957.
Royal Selangor Club at Dataran Merdeka
At the opposite end of the square is an inviting
spot where visitors can relax amid soothing
rushing waters of fountains, elegant colonnades and
colorful beds of zinnias and marigolds. Beneath the
square is Plaza Putra, an underground food, leisure
and entertainment complex and tourists can try out
various local cuisine over here. Many remarkable
celebrations have been held in this place of
interest and your trip to this beautiful country
is never complete without a visit to this field
fronting the Royal Selangor Club. For
historians, this attraction was known as the
Selangor Club Padang (Selangor Club Field) which
was used for cricket, hockey, rugby and tennis
matches until the mid-nineties. One interesting
show is the spectacular evening performances by
the Malaysian Armed Forces and Royal Malaysian
Police bands here which is held every third Saturday of the
month.
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