Jalan Tun Ismail, Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Tun Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, on Google Street View

Jalan Tun Ismail, Kuala Lumpur (Jun 2024)

Jalan Tun Ismail is a winding hill road in Kuala Lumpur. While the northern end of the road is largely developed, the road crosses through large areas to hillside that have not been developed. The northernmost section of Jalan Tun Ismail runs parallel to Jalan Tun Razak - the central lane of the thoroughfare is Jalan Tun Razak, which connects with Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar, while the side lanes are Jalan Tun Ismail, all the way till Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah interchange. Therefore buildings in that area, such as Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Maxwell and Balai Bomba & Penyelamat Sentul have Jalan Tun Ismail on their addresses.

Roads forming junctions with Jalan Tun Ismail include Jalan 1/64, Jalan Rahmat, Jalan Putra, Lorong Tun Ismail, Jalan Sultan Salahuddin, Perkarangan Tun Ismail and Pesiaran Tun Ismail.

Jalan Tun Ismail was originally called Maxwell Road.¹ It was originally named after Sir William Edward Maxwell, who was the British Resident of Selangor from 1889 to 1892 and Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1893 to 1894. Maxwell Road in Penang and Maxwell Road in Singapore were likewise named after him.

Maxwell Road was renamed after the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, the Deputy Prime Minister under the administration of Tun Abdul Razak. He passed away on 2 August 1973 from a heart attack while in office, and was buried at the Warriors' Mausoleum at Masjid Negara.