QuickCheck: Were Parliament meetings ever held at the Malaysia Tourism Centre in Kuala Lumpur?

THE Parliament building in Jalan Parlimen, Kuala Lumpur is an iconic place where Malaysian leaders debate and pass laws. But is it true that the first meeting was held elsewhere?

Verdict:

TRUE

YES, before Malaysia was formed, the first Parliament meeting for the Federation of Malaya was held in a hall along Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur in 1959.

That hall is known today as the Malaysia Tourism Centre (Matic), according to information on the official portal of the Parliament of Malaysia.

The Federation’s first Parliament meeting took place on Sept 11, 1959, in the meeting hall, which was then called the Tunku Abdul Rahman Hall.

"It was an important event for the country as it was the first time the Parliament of the Federation of Malaya met with all its members.

"It was officiated by the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Rahman Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhammad,” read the website.

The meeting hall, built in 1935, was originally the residence of Eu Tong Sen, a wealthy miner and estate owner in Kuala Lumpur.

"It was renovated by master builders who were specially hired to convert the building into the meeting hall for the Senate and Dewan Rakyat," the website said.

Later, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman had the vision to construct a building specifically for Parliament.

This led to the construction of the current iconic Parliament building in Jalan Parlimen.

On Malaysia day itself - Sept 16, 1963, the first meeting of the Parliament of Malaysia was held in the Parliament building.

Reference:

https://www.parlimen.gov.my/bangunan-parlimen-malaysia.html?&id=7&view=238&album=0&uweb=web&lang=en