Bangsar, also Bungsar (archaic), is a residential suburb on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, lying about four kilometres southwest of the city centre.

Defining Bangsar

There is no official definition of what constitutes Bangsar. Bangsar has been developed by various developers at different times, unlike Bandar Utama or Subang Jaya. Unlike other townships in the Klang Valley such as Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya, Bangsar is administered by Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur. There are however several neighbourhood residents' associations and business councils, although they exercise no legal or administrative power.

Most people define Bangsar as the area bounded by Jalan Bangsar, Jalan Pantai Baharu, Universiti Malaya, Jalan Damansara (Sprint Expressway and Bukit Damansara) and Bukit Persekutuan. This would mean neighbourhoods like Bangsar Utama, Bukit Bangsar, Bangsar Park, Bukit Bandaraya, Taman SA, Bangsar Baru, Lucky Garden, Pantai Hills, and the areas off Jalan Bangsar. In other words, areas with Kuala Lumpur postcodes 59000 and 59100.

Bangsar is part of the Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency.

Taman SA Bukit Bandaraya Bangsar Baru Bangsar Park Bukit Bangsar Bangsar Utama Lucky Garden Pantai Hills Off Jalan Bangsar

Different parts of the neighbourhoods were built in different phases, under different names. Over time, some of these names have been dropped. For example, Bukit Bandaraya was sometimes referred to as Taman Bandaraya. Taman SA in Bangsar is physically next to the other Taman SA in Bukit Damansara, although there is no direct road access between the two.

• Taman SA: Menerung
• Bukit Bandaraya: Keruing, Jejawi, Bangkung, Kemaris, Tualang, Penaga), Medang
• Bangsar Baru: Telawi, Terasek
• Bangsar Park: Limau Besar, Limau Purut, Limau Kasturi, Limau Manis, Limau Nipis
• Bukit Bangsar: KTM Flats, Sri Pahang Flats
• Bangsar Utama: Abdullah, Kemuja
• Lucky Garden: Cenderai, Taban, Tempinis, Ara Kiri
• Pantai Hills: Bukit Pantai
• Off Jalan Bangsar: Tanduk, Riong, Liku, Kurau, Bilis, Senangin, Tenggiri

History

Bangsar was initially a rubber estate. One suggestion is that it derives its name from Bunge, a Belgian, and Grisar, a Frenchman, said to be the founders of a European company that ran the estate, Bunge-Grisar. The name of this estate was soon localised to Bungsar, and finally Bangsar. In those days, Bangsar was owned by the plantation firm Socfin. ^[1] It was later developed into a residential area.

Bangsar, in its early days also housed the staff and their families of the then Malayan Railway (now Keretapi Tanah Melayu) and National Electricity Board (now Tenaga Nasional), especially in the Bukit Bangsar and Off Jalan Bangsar area.

Bangsar Park was the first area to be developed. Apparently it was the first planned housing estates in Kuala Lumpur. The first houses were built in 1969. Development in Bangsar started once Socfin estates sold the land to private developers.^[1]

Bangsar, in the 1970s, was seen as a housing suburb that catered to the baby boomers settling in Kuala Lumpur. As the children of these baby boomers grew up and formed a large part of the city's young, upwardly mobile professionals, Bangsar, especially Bangsar Baru suddenly appeared hip. Unfortunately, as the children of these baby boomers have all grown up and also adding to the fact that there weren't many new developments in this area after the 80s, Bangsar's population has apparently started to age.

Among the more popular past tenants of Bangsar include Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad and Lever Brothers. Bangsar Hospital was situated at the present day Pusat Kesihatan Umum Bangsar. Until now, the New Straits Times Press which publishes Malaysia's major newspapers still operates from its headquarters here.

Geography

In general, Bangsar is a hilly suburb. It is rather flat at the southern neighbourhoods such as Bangsar Utama, Bangsar Park and the Off Jalan Bangsar area. The terrain progressively rises towards the north, before making a steep drop in elevation.

Jalan Maarof (Ma'arof) is Bangsar's main thoroughfare. It also divides Bangsar into two main parts. On the east of this road lies Taman SA, Bangsar Park, Bukit Bangsar, Bangsar Utama and one-half of Bukit Bandaraya (postcode 59000). The other neighbourhoods (and other half of Bukit Bandaraya) lie on the west (postcode 59100).

Demographics

Unlike other suburbs in the Klang Valley, such as SS2 and Kepong (Chinese), Kelana Jaya and Datuk Keramat (Malay) or Brickfields (Indian), Bangsar is not dominated by any single race group.

Although Bangsar is a melting pot today, it was never always that way. The initial residents of Bangsar Park were mainly Ceylonese from Brickfields, who were mostly government clerks and looking for a new, clean neighbourhood to move into. Meanwhile for Lucky Gardens, it was Chinese who found a new place to call home.

Like many places in Kuala Lumpur, the May 13 Riots in 1969 were also witnessed here. Many Chinese shops in Bangsar were burnt and unsuspecting road users passing Bangsar on their way to Petaling Jaya were ambushed here. Jalan Bangsar was littered with burnt-out cars and motorcycles.^[2]

Eating and drinking

Typically Malaysian, Bangsar has a wide array of cuisine. Indian Muslim Mamak stalls, South Indian banana leaf restaurants and Malay warungs are easily found. They are usually cheap, although prices in Bangsar are on average higher than elsewhere. Roadside hawkers usually open in the evenings and close late. In fact, there are a number of 24-hour Mamak and banana leaf restaurants. It is usually acceptable for one to patronize these joints and order nothing but drinks, except during busy hours.

Chinese kopitiam and seafood restaurants meanwhile are a little harder to find outside Lucky Garden.

There is also a hawker centre in Bangsar Baru, sometimes referred to as Bangsar Mamak, sited at the former Jolly Green Giant. Roadside stalls that serve drinks, local cakes, burgers and hotdogs and cut fruit can be found on many street corners. Ice cream, pastry, satay, rojak and milk is also sold on motorcycles and vans.

The Telawi area in Bangsar Baru is sometimes known as "the strip". Its location near affluent neighbourhoods helps explain its popularity. It has often been compared to Singapore's Holland Village. "The strip" can be skirted on foot in about 15 minutes.

A large pasar malam, or night market, each Sunday lends the Bangsar Baru a colourful flavour. There is also a daily wetmarket in Lucky Garden every morning. Another lesser known pasar malam is held in Bukit Bangsar on Wednesdays.

Recent additions include One Bangsar (a string of new restaurants in Jalan Ara, a hillside street near the Telawi area), Bangsar Village and a remodelled Bangsar Shopping Centre.

Art and culture

The Actors Studio is located at Bangsar Shopping Centre. It occupies the lot which used to be Golden Screen Cinema, which moved to Mid Valley Megamall in 1999. Plays, comedies and concerts are staged here.

There are several art galleries scattered around Bangsar, especially in Bangsar Baru.

Bangsar also features plenty of graffiti. Some are just works of vandals, while others are works of underground artists who usually employ stencils and wheatpaste.

Roving buskers, usually performing covers, may be found in Bangsar Baru.

Silverfish, a high brow independent bookshop at Jalan Telawi 3 focuses on literature, philosophy, religion and Malaysiana.

Infrastructure

Medical

Pantai Medical Centre, a private hospital is situated at Jalan Bukit Pantai. Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), a public hospital is situated within five minutes drive, although access is through Petaling Jaya. There is also Pusat Kesihatan Umum Bangsar, along Jalan Bangsar, a government primary health care centre catering to the health needs of the residential area. As Bangsar residents are mostly an affluent lot, there are many private clinics spread throughout Bangsar to meet the health needs of the resident as well.

Education

Bangsar houses 3 primary schools:

• Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Bandaraya
• Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Pantai
• Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (T) Jalan Bangsar (a Tamil school)

It also houses 2 secondary schools:

• Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bangsar
• Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bukit Bandaraya

Kindergartens and nurseries are usually operated out of houses.

Pantai Institute of Health Science and Nursing is located in the Pantai Medical Centre grounds.

There are plenty of tuition centres (cram schools) for school students operating out of shoplots and homes. Drama, ballet and music schools also usually operate in a similar manner.

Malaysia's premier public university, University Malaya, though technically not in Bangsar, is accessible in five minutes. Both UM and UMMC borders the city of Petaling Jaya and Bangsar. In the vicinity is also the Maktab Perguruan Raja Muda (Raja Muda Teaching College) and the Maktab Perguruan Bahasa (Language Teaching College).

Sports and recreation

Bangsar Sports Complex has a swimming pool, a multipurpose hall with badminton courts as well as squash, tennis, basketball and badminton courts.

Bangsar does not possess many open public spaces. However, there are a few parks and playgrounds scattered around this suburb, namely those at Jalan Bangkung, Jalan Rumpai, Jalan Terasek 7, Jalan Tempinis 5 and Jalan Kurau.

The Kilat Stadium is in Tenaga Nasional's grounds.

The Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium is near Jalan Pantai Baharu, next to Universiti Malaya, and thus technically may not be part of Bangsar. It was the venue for the hockey events during the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games in 1998.

Religion

Saidina Abu Bakar As Siddiq Mosque, which is located next to Bangsar Village shopping centre serves the local Muslim community. Sri Ramalingaeswarar temple located near the junction of Lorong Maarof and Jalan Bangsar serves the Hindu devotees. Both the mosque and temple were one of the original inhabitants of Bangsar when the area was just coming up

There is also a Jain temple and Indian Muslim surau located in Bangsar Park and ran by their respective communities. Near to the mosque, there is a Sikh Naujawan Sabha or community centre which is maintained by the local Sikhs.

Bangsar Gospel Centre operates from one of the shophouses along Jalan Telawi Tiga. Bangsar Lutheran Church was restarted since 2000, and meets in one of the houses along Jalan Abdullah. There is also a newly constructed Anglican church in Lucky Gardens and another church located in Bukit Bandaraya near the primary school.

Development

Bangsar has grown rapidly in recent years, but has paid a price in terms of traffic jams and a shortage of parking places. Still, it is much better organized and maintained compared to other areas such as Subang Jaya, Damansara Utama and Sri Hartamas.^{[citation needed]}

Developments in neighbouring Bukit Damansara and Mid Valley Megamall have caused more traffic to pass through Bangsar, especially along Jalan Maarof.

New shops and attractions are constantly sprouting up in Bangsar, but many do not survive long, especially food and entertainment outlets. Other long-standing outlets have been very successful, opening up a second branch in Bangsar itself. An example of this is Alexis and La Bodega, Coffee Bean, and McDonalds which can be found on Jalan Telawi and also Bangsar Shopping Centre.

Transport

Bangsar is easily accessible from any part of Kuala Lumpur. It is just a ten minute drive from the Kuala Lumpur city centre. It is also connected to the city of Petaling Jaya via the Federal Highway.

The New Pantai Expressway begins at Jalan Bangsar and passes through Pantai Dalam, Kuchai Lama, Old Klang Road, Bandar Sunway and terminates at Subang Jaya. The Sprint Expressway, at the northern end of Jalan Maarof connects to Bukit Damansara, Jalan Duta, Sri Hartamas, the New Klang Valley Expressway, the Damansara-Puchong Expressway and several suburbs in Petaling Jaya.

The Bangsar LRT station (on Rapid KL's Kelana Jaya Line )is located along Jalan Bangsar. Abdullah Hukum, Kerinchi and Universiti LRT stations are also located nearby.

Bangsar is a five minute drive from KL Sentral, a major transportation hub in neighbouring Brickfields.

Bus services running through Bangsar are as follows.

• 621: (previously 5) KL Sentral - Bangsar LRT - Mid Valley - Lucky Garden - Bangsar Baru - Bukit Bandaraya - Bangsar Shopping Centre - Bangsar Park - Bangsar LRT - KL Sentral (loop service)
• 634: (previously 908B) Bangsar LRT - Bangsar Park - Bangsar Shopping Centre - Pusat Bandar Damansara - Jalan Semantan - Pusat Bandar Damansara - Bangsar Shopping Centre - Bangsar Park - Bangsar LRT (loop service)
• 309: (operated by Triton Commuter) KL Sentral - Jalan Semantan - Mont Kiara - Pusat Bandar Damansara - Bangsar Shopping Centre - Bangsar Park - Bangsar LRT - KL Sentral (loop service)

Many other Rapid KL buses that head towards the city centre and Selangor suburbs also ply Jalan Bangsar.

• 516: KL Sentral - Bangsar LRT (outward journey only) - Jalan Syed Putra - Mid Valley
• 517: KL Sentral - Bangsar LRT - New Pantai Expressway - Jalan Pantai Dalam
• 518: KL Sentral - Bangsar LRT - New Pantai Expressway - Jalan 1/112 - Jalan Pantai Murni (Hillpark) - Jalan Pantai Permai - Rumah Panjang
• T64: KL Sentral - Bangsar LRT - Jalan Pantai Baharu - Federal Highway - Persiaran Tengku Ampuan - Persiaran Selangor - Persiaran Sultan - Persiaran Jubli Perak - Persiaran Perusahaan - Persiaran Budiman (Seri Muda)
• T80: KL Sentral - Bangsar LRT - Jalan Pantai Baharu - Federal Highway - UiTM Shah Alam
• T81: KL Sentral - Bangsar LRT - Jalan Pantai Baharu - Federal Highway - Jalan Lapangan Terbang Subang - Jalan Bukit Badak (Subang Baru)

Rapid KL's Area 5 and 6 network map details these bus routes.

There are Metrobus buses that also ply Jalan Bangsar as they head towards Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya.

First Coach runs bus services from Lengkok Abdullah (near Bangsar LRT and Jalan Bangsar 7-Eleven) to Singapore's Novena Square (near Novena MRT Station).

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Koya, Zakiah. "My Wakil Rakyat and I: Bright and ugly sides of Lembah Pantai", New Straits Times, 1997. Retrieved on September 10, 2006. (English) 
2. ^ Raja Kamarudin, Raja Petra. "On May 13, 1969", Little Speck, May 13, 2003. Retrieved on September 10, 2006. (English) 

External links

• Bangsar Baru Online
• Bangsar Community Portal
• Maps of Bangsar
• Bangsar Lutheran Church
• The Actors Studio
• Bangsar Gospel Center

Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
Constituencies	Bandar Tun Razak • Batu • Bukit Bintang • Cheras • Kepong • Lembah Pantai • Segambut • Seputeh • Setiawangsa • Titiwangsa • Wangsa Maju
Places	Ampang • Bangsar • Brickfields • Bukit Aman • Bukit Damansara • Bukit Jalil • Bukit Kiara • Bukit Nanas • Bukit Persekutuan • Bukit Petaling • Bukit Tunku • Chow Kit • Damansara Town Centre • Dang Wangi • Imbi • Jalan Duta • Jinjang • Kampung Baru • Kampung Datuk Keramat • Kuchai Lama • Kerinchi • Maluri • Medan Tuanku • Miharja • Mont Kiara • Pudu • Salak South • Semarak • Setapak • Sentul • Sentul Raya • Shamelin • Sri Petaling • Sungai Besi • Taman U-Thant
Townships	Bandar Manjalara • Bandar Sri Pemaisuri • Bandar Tasik Selatan • Bukit Damansara • Happy Garden • Puncak Jalil • Sri Hartamas • Taman Connaught • Taman Desa • Taman OUG • Taman Melawati • Taman Ibukota • Taman Tun Dr Ismail

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