Jalan Raja Muda Musa, Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Raja Muda Musa, Kuala Lumpur (15 June, 2017)


Jalan Raja Muda Musa is one of the main roads in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Located on the south side of the Malay settlement, it cuts a diagonal path from Jalan Raja Abdullah in the southwest to Jalan Hamzah in the north. In between, it meets Jalan Daud, Jalan Raja Mahadi, Jalan Hassan Salleh, Jalan Raja Alang, Lorong Raja Muda Musa 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Jalan Raja Mahmud and Jalan Raja Uda. It is one way with traffic flowing from west to east, between Jalan Raja Abdullah and Jalan Raja Alang.

Jalan Raja Muda Musa was named after the late Sultan Musa Ghiatuddin Riayat Shah (1893-1955). He was born Tengku Musa Eddin in Jugra, Selangor¹, as the eldest son of Sultan Alauddin Sulaiman Shah. The road bearing his name is most likely named in his honour in the 1930s, when the kampung paths of Kampung Baru was named. At that time, he was Crown Prince, or Raja Muda.

The British took a dislike to him, and he was coerced to resign as Raja Muda on 31 October, 1934. The person instigating his removal was the British Resident to Selangor, T.S. Adams. His father is very unhappy that his rightful heir, Tengku Musa Eddin, was forced to resign by the British. He petitoned unsuccessfully to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and in 1936, he and Tengku Musa Eddin made a trip to London to meet King Edward VIII over the matter. Although the trip was not successful in getting Tengku Musa Eddin reinstated as Raja Muda, it was successful in getting T.S. Adams removed from his position.

After Sultan Alauddin pass away on 31 March, 1938, Tengku Alam Shah as Raja Muda was proclaimed Sultan on 4 April that same year. On 26 January, 1939, he was officially crowned the Sultan of Selangor, at Istana Mahkota in Klang, with Tengku Musa Eddin presiding over the ceremony, as Tengku Kelana Jaya Putera. He took the name Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah.

Tengku Muda Eddin was to get his day under the sun when, during the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese made him Sultan in place of Sultan Hisamuddin, for his refusal to work with the Japanese. Tengku Musa Eddin took on the regnal name Sultan Musa Ghiatuddin Riayat Shah. However his reign was shortlived, for after the British returned, they removed him, and reinstated Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah. Tengku Musa was exiled to the Cocos Keeling Islands. He was only returned to Selangor when he was gravely ill, and he passed away on 8 November, 1955 in Kuala Lumpur.

In addition to Jalan Raja Muda Musa in Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Tengku Kelana in Klang was also named after him.

Jalan Raja Muda Musa, Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Raja Muda Musa road sign (15 June, 2017)

References

1. Kuala Lumpur Street Names by Mariana Isa & Maganjeet Kaut, published by Marshall Cavendish (2015) page 208.

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