Malaysia’s premier library which is also popularly known as Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia is located at Jalan Tun Razak. If you are visiting Istana Budaya and the National Art Gallery which are also located along Jalan Tun Razak and are within walking distance of each other, drop by this library and get some information about this place. You will appreciate the architecture of this building, so do remember to bring along your camera for a shot or two.

The design of the National Library is unique in that it is designed based on a traditional Malay headgear known in the Malay Language as the “tengkolok”. The roofs of the building resembles this headgear. The traditional songket design is also embedded on the roofs of the building, a pride and part of the Malaysian culture.

Facilities

As the nation geared towards a developed nation by 2020, the quest for knowledge is one of the key elements that the people will have to pursue. The National Library has many books, literatures, magazines and other multimedia facilities to help people from all walks of life increase their knowledge.

If you are interested to borrow books, membership can be applied within the same day. All you need is your MyKad. Children will need to have MyKid to apply for membership. For those who do not have MyKid, you will need to bring along a photocopy of your birth certificate. Each member can borrow up to 3 books for a duration of 3 weeks. Renewal of books can be done by phone for another 3 weeks.

Today, what still remains in the area are pits and tunnels dug long ago, old bricks and pieces of rail tracks and rusted cables strewn on the ground. Visitors may enter a low tunnel with the help of a short rope and emerge from the top, although this should only be attempted with great caution. Across the road next to the Chimney, is a vertical well that is 10 feet wide, measuring some 100 feet deep. Entrances to more tunnels, which are yet to be explored, can be found at the bottom of this well.

Due to this history, divers come from around the world to explore the many excellent ship wrecks and rich marine history that rest in Labuan’s shallow waters. Four of these wrecks are particularly outstanding.

Of these, two were sunk during WWII and two were commercial vessels that sank in the 1980s. The ‘American Wreck’ and the ‘Australian Wreck’ were both sunk by the Japanese towards the end of the war. They are both in decent condition and lie at a safe dive depth of 33m. The third is the ‘Cement Wreck’ and is the latest mishap of these waters, having just happened 20 years ago. It is also the shallowest and therefore the easiest to dive, especially for less experienced divers.

The most popular is the ‘Blue Water Wreck’ which lies north-east of Labuan. It gets its name from the clear blue waters it lies in. Of all the wrecks, this one has the best visibility. The wreck is the ‘MABINI PADRE’, a large Philippine fishing trawler which caught fire and sank in 1981. It is an interesting site for divers as it is completely intact. It also supports a wealth of marine life like soft corals, groupers and Batfish.

There are also a few other interesting ship wrecks in the area. Be advised that some of these wrecks are only suitable for experienced divers. The local dive shop will be able to advise individual divers.

This tranquil bird park is beautifully landscaped garden and walking paths. It has three large dome-shaped cages surrounded by beautiful trees and flowering plants. A slow, relaxing walk within the bird park is recommended if you wish to escape to a more peaceful experience where you can absorb the beauty of the flora and marvel at a large variety of tropical birds from around the region, under one roof.

Labuan Bird Park is home to many species of Borneo birds only likely to be encountered deep in the forests of Borneo. There are plans to collect a good percentage of the 580 species of birds found in Borneo’s diverse habitats. Unlike bird watching in the wild, here at the bird park, nature lovers can watch birds without the arduous treks in the jungle or towing heavy equipment.

They occupied Labuan for four years, even renaming it Pulau Maida, or Maidashima after General Maida, the Chief Commander of the Japanese forces in Borneo. He was on his way to Labuan from Sarawak to open the airstrip there when he died in an air crash at Bintulu. The airstrip was built by the Japanese who found it was a good location for their operations in North Borneo. For Labuan, the end of the Japanese Occupation came abruptly with the re-taking of the island by the Allied forces. The capture of Labuan was seen as essential for recovering supplies of oil, rubber and timber from the mainland of Borneo. It would also serve as a base to help the Allies recapture Singapore.

A convoy of 100 ships were sent from Merotai. On 10 June 1945, they reached Labuan and an attack was launched by the 9th Australian Division. It was a successful attack, resulting in the surrender of the Japanese troops.

The Peace Park was built as a memorial and renunciation of the horrors of the war. It is dominated by the memorial mound which is surrounded by landscaped gardens and pavilions. Small ponds with stone bridges and park seats are all Japanese-inspired. A bronze plaque commemorating the Surrender is mounted on a stone slab near the entrance.

In February 1945, the Japanese, apprehending an Allied landing in the Sandakan area, started to force march the prisoners to Ranau on which was what came to be known as the infamous Ranau Death March. Hundreds upon hundreds perished along the way and those who were left behind at the Sandakan POW camp also died or were killed. Many of the dead were reburied here at Labuan.

On 10 June 1945, Allied troops landed at Brown beach at Tanjung Purun to begin what was to be the liberisation of Borneo from the Japanese. Prior to this, Labuan town was heavily bombed aerially to flush out the enemies. Most of the buildings were destroyed. At the place known as the Pocket fighting also took place.

The remains of the Allied troops were gathered from all over Borneo to be interred at the Cemetery. The graves lie in long neat rows all bearing a plaque, mostly identified, many not, but ‘known unto God’. The Labuan War Cemetery and Memorial is visited very regularly by War Veteran groups, especially from Australia who have included Labuan as an important destination on their battle-field tours circuit. On the first Sunday of November every year, a service to mark Remembrance Day is held here and is attended by locals and foreign visitors.

The place was constructed, and is maintained by Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The lawns are beautiful kept and visitors will appreciate the peace and tranquility of the place as they seek to understand the senselessness of the deaths of so many brave young men.

It was built in 1896 and was completely finished in 1904. The theatre occupied the historical building of Old City Hall of Kuala Lumpur. The theatre and old City Hall building was designed by a colonial-government architect, AB Hubback, who is responsible for designing most of the colonial building in Kuala Lumpur and other towns that right now became a historical heritage building landmark.

Built ideal for staging of productions from plays to musicals. The scene of the various successful productions through the years, the old theatre holds many fond memories for theatre lovers in the city.

Open time: 9am-11pm daily
Address : Sultan Abdul Samad Building, KL
Tel : 03 2617 6307

The gallery was relocated to its present prime location in the PETRONAS Twin Towers in 1998. The spacious new circular gallery of 2000 sq meters is almost three times the size of the gallery in the Dayabumi Complex. The larger space represents an extension and expansion of activities by PETRONAS in promoting and contributing to the development of art.

GALERI PETRONAS has been designed to be a compact, protective vessel, a conducive environment for the display and contemplation of art. The interior architecture is solid yet understated, emphasising natural geometry in forms and purity in the choice of materials. The beauty of GALERI PETRONAS lies in its simple approach: the abstract expression of planes, textures and materials which marry art and architecture reflecting the very essence of the space.

The gallery has been built and equipped in accordance with international art gallery standards. It is a multi-functional and flexible space which is easily adaptable for art displays and other activities. In this way, the Main Gallery and the Bustle Gallery are able to accommodate a number of exhibitions simultaneously, or to create interesting exhibition layouts.

In addition to a total art display space of 1135.92 sqm, the gallery is also equipped with two multimedia spaces each measuring 30.1 sqm, three dry workshops each measuring 46 sqm, and a lecture room measuring 40.97 sqm. These multi-purpose spaces are used for art demonstrations, forums, classes and lectures, performances and other art activities.

The museum comprises 4 main galleries – Gallery A holds Culture Exhibitions, Gallery B is dedicated to the Faces of Malaysia (looking at the variety of races that have come together in Malaysia), Gallery C is the Natural History home, and in Gallery D you can find an eclectic grouping of ceramics, music and weapons. There are also temporary exhibitions. Check their website to see what’s on when you’re planning your visit.

A relatively impressive building, the National Museum only fails in its comparison to the Islamic Arts Museum, which most people find more architecturally and intellectually stimulating. Not to knock the National too much, but if you only have time for one museum, make it the Islamic.

Open time: Daily 9am-6pm (closed during Aidil Fitri and Aidil Adha)
Address : Jalan Damansara, 50566 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 03 2282 6255
Entrance Fee : RM 2 (Free for children below 12 years old in school uniform)

The National Science Centre was proudly opened by the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, on 29 November 1996.

Located in a harmonious and attractive environment, Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, this new national landmark has a unique architecture that resembles a truncated cone capped by a geodesic dome. The National Science Centre, an institution of informal learning, was entrusted with the mandate to promote awareness, appreciation, interest and understanding of Science and Technology.

The Centre houses many different exhibits designed to stimulate, excite and encourage visitors to take an active interest in Science and Technology. The exhibits located in various galleries are based on different themes, which can be categorised into two groups, ‘Basics Sciences’ and ‘Technology’. The overall concept of the Centre is to link science to environment and religion, as well as to relate science with all aspects of life, knowledge and applications in our daily life.

The sort of place you can drag your aspiring little Einsteins for some fun and games. They’ll probably learn more than they do at school, and complain a lot less about visiting.