China Town Hotel is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The city in China is often called Petaling Street, but Petaling Street is just one of many roads in China.
The Lee Rubber Building is located in Jalan Tun HS Lee. To get here, if you are on a Hop On Hop Off bus, just go to the Central Market. Or, if you take the train, stop at Pasar-Cenis station. From there, ask for directions to the Lee Reber building. Most people will know this as a popular bookstore, because the bookstore is busy on the first floor of the Lee Reber building.
It is located at the junction between Jalan HS Lee and Jalan Hang Lekir. & # 39; Jalan & # 39; means road, and Jalan Tun HS Lee means Tun HS Lee Road. If you see a large red and white signboard that says “Popular bookstore,” you are in the right place.
You might be wondering: who is HS Lee? Well, he was a politician who helped create the Malaysian Chinese Association, or MCA, one of the main political parties in Malaysia. He also played an important role in the independence of Malaysia. The word "Thun" is an honor for people occupying high positions in the public service. As for Hang Lekir, he was a warrior who lived at the height of the Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century.
Let's go back to the Lee Reber building. This building was designed in Art Deco style from A. O Coltman in the 1930s. There are several features of Art Deco: First, do you understand that the exterior facade is made of horizontal stripes? Secondly, look high. This building has a flat roof. You can't see it, because, well, it's flat. Third, look at the windows - they are very narrow and long. And if you look under the windows, you will see that repetitive geometric patterns create a sense of theatrical luxury. And finally, look high above the blue and brown stripes that run through the building. They emphasize the space between the upper and lower windows. You may also notice that the building has an angle of 45 °, giving it a solid geometric shape and dividing it into three compartments.
A well-known philanthropist and businessman named Lee Cong Qian founded Lee Rubber. He was a very successful businessman, and he was called "Pineapple and Rubber of the King of Southeast Asia." In 1952, he set aside his wealth to create the Li Foundation, which he called himself, which is often practiced by wealthy Chinese businessmen to return to their community.
One interesting detail is that this building was once the headquarters of Kempeitai or the Japanese secret service during World War II.
The Lee Reber Building is one of the best examples of an art deco building in Kuala Lumpur and is well worth your time.
