Secret Kuala Lumpur

Two grotesque statues of lersi (Thai hermits) which have become deities for gamblers praying for lucky lottery numbers, the graves of the outcast Ahmadiyya followers which are far away from the mainstream Muslim cemetery, a Russian Orthodox Church which boasts Malaysian converts, the graves of a married couple of Muslim missionaries from Baghdad which have become a shrine, the little-known colonial crest of Kuala Lumpur found on the portico of an old building and Victorian gargoyles spitting out water in an old fountain...these are things unknown to most residents of the city.

Away from the modern shopping malls filled with designer brands, the skyscrapers and usual touristy sites with stalls selling kitschy souvenirs, there are still some interesting secrets to be discovered in Kuala Lumpur in the backlanes and byways of the concrete jungle.

Lam Seng Fatt has been a journalist for more than 45 years working for top newspapers in Malaysia like The Malay Mail, New Straits Times, The Star and The Edge. Along the way he picked up photography and became a photojournalist and travel writer. He was born and bred in Kuala Lumpur and has a keen interest in the history and charms of the city. He has also written a few books. His first book was on photography entitled Through The Lens (Berita Publishing), which was published in 1996 and the second book was Insider’s Kuala Lumpur (Times Books International), which was an alternative city guide, published in 2000. His third book was Thrills and Treasures of Historical Landmarks Selangor (Marshall Cavendish Editions) published in 2008.