Great Asian Railway Journeys

S01E17 Kuala Lumpur to Melaka

Michael Portillo continues his extensive 2,500-mile journey through Southeast Asia, focusing on the remarkable transformation of Kuala Lumpur. Once a muddy swamp, the city evolved from a center of British colonial power to a bustling financial hub. He delves into Kuala Lumpur's 19th-century beginnings as a tin mining town and even tries his hand at jewelry-making at the Royal Selangor pewter factory. In a historic neighborhood that remains unspoiled by modernization, Michael samples the delicious nasi lemak, Malaysia’s national dish, before uncovering the scandalous antics of Britain’s resident general during the early 1900s.