Kampung Padang Balang

[2]

Malay makes up the majority of the Padang Balang population. A third of them are descendants of the early Minangkabau and Selangor settlers while majority of the rest are settlers from other Malay States like Kedah and Kelantan. The remainders are later immigrants from Sumatra and Java. There are also few number of Pakistani immigrants and Chinese settlers of Hakka descent. [3]

The Padang Balang peoples are followers of Islam.[3]

Over 90% of the Padang Balang land has agricultural status. Although most of the orchard has been chopped down to give way to residential, fruit trees like durian, rambutan, and mangosteen still can be found in abundance. Many agricultural activities also take place along the Gombak rivers.

Due to its proximity to Titiwangsa Mountains, Padang Balang is a favourite location for birdwatchers. In addition to many local birds like Pegar, Wak-Wak, Puchong, Ayam-Ayam, Bangau, But-But, Burungantu (Owl), Enggang (Hornbill), honey bird, hummingbirds, etc., Padang Balang also hosts various foreign birds like flamingos and pelicans from National Zoo of Malaysia (approximately 15 km from the village).[6]

Padang Balang is known as the center for Islamic studies, as many religious schools and institutions were built within its territories.[17] The village also served as headquarter of several Islamic movements, for example Markaz Darul Tarbiyah. Many conservative religious political leaders from Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and National Trust Party (AMANAH) also regularly meet at Padang Balang. Among them are the late senior journalist Haji Subky Abdul Latif, former Minister of Federal Territories, Khalid Abdul Samad and former Deputy Minister of Law, Mohamed Hanipa Maidin[18] Therefore, the village is dubbed as Serambi Makkah (The verandah of Makkah) of Kuala Lumpur.

Kolej Universiti Islam Zulkifli Muhammad

Kolej Universiti Islam Zulkifli Muhammad (KUIZM) is located at former PAS headquarter or Markaaz at Taman Melewar.[19]

Maahad Tahfiz Darul Furqan

Maahad Tahfiz Darul Furqan (Darul Furqan) is a private religious school for Quranic studies founded on 15 November 1992 by Al-Fadhil Ustaz Salleh Sani Hj. Harun Al-Hafiz.[20] The school is located near Gombak River. The students come from Malaysia and other parts of ASEAN like Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, and Cambodia. Students with good result have the opportunity to continue their studies at Al-Azhar University Egypt in Qiraat, Usuluddin, and Sharia.[21]

Maahad Tahfiz Darul Furqan lil Banat

Maahad Tahfiz Darul Furqan lil Banat is a sister school of Tahfiz Darul Furqan for female students. The school is located near the Gombak River next to Darul Furqan for boys.[22]

Maahad Tahfiz Darul Maarif Al-Islamiah

Maahad Tahfiz Darul Maarif Al-Islamiah is located near Masjid Jame' Kampung Padang Balang.[23]

Maahad Tahfiz Integrasi Madinatul Huffaz

Maahad Tahfiz Integrasi Madinatul Huffaz is located at Taman Melewar.[24]

SRA Saidina Ali Karram Allahu Wajhah

SRA Saidina Ali Karram Allahu Wajhah was an elementary Islamic school run by Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (Malay: Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan)(MAIWP). The school was founded in 2001 by the committee of Masjid Saidina Ali KAW to teach elementary Islamic education to students in Kampung Padang Balang. The school was originally opened inside the mosque precinct before moved to a new building on Federal Territories Department of Religious Affair land near Kampung Padang Balang Hilir (Taman Pelangi).

SRA Darul Tarbiyyah al-Islamiyyah

SRA Darul Tarbiyyah al-Islamiyyah formerly share location with Surau Darul Tarbiah Taman Melewar, before it was expanded into a fully completed school. This school was founded by the family of Senator Ustaz Hassan Shukri from Malaysian Islamic Party. His wife was one the principal of the school.[25]

Previously, Padang Balang practiced Adat Papatih, a Minangkabau traditional system similar to the system in West Sumatra and Negeri Sembilan.[26] The village was governed by Ampat Basa, consisted of elders and religious leader, selected from among the villagers. Ampat Basa was lead by headman, known as Datuk Ampat, and assisted by the other elders of Ampat Basa. However, when Kuala Lumpur was sold to the federal government to be made the capital city, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall abolished the headman office, to erase the traditional system completely. Abdul Manaf bin Binok, the grandson of Datuk Balang who holds the office of Datuk Ampat the time, thus become the last headman of Padang Balang. Abdul Manaf still hold the office until his demise in 2000, making him also the last headman in Kuala Lumpur. The void in leadership brought Padang Balang into period of disunity. Some part of Padang Balang seceded to form new villages like the case of Kampung Lembah Melewar and Kampung Bandar Dalam tambahan. Disparation was made worse by political rivalry between UMNO and PAS. The Pakatan Harapan government who won the election in 2018, reintroduced the Headman office, but the appointment was based on political appointment, and not democratically selected among the Waris as per Adat Pepatih. Padang Balang again, went into interregnum when the Pakatan harapan government was toppled in 2020.

In 2010, the peoples of Padang Balang, Bandar Dalam and its alliances formed Malay Traditional Villages Community Action Front (Malay: Barisan Bertindak Penduduk Perkampungan Tradisi Melayu) to resist the unpopular publication of Kuala Lumpur 2020 draft by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. The resistance coalition was led by the then Chairman of Masjid Saidina Ali K.A.W Hj. Zainal Abidin b. Hj. Ma’as and the self-appointed Headman of Kampung Bandar Dalam, Hj. Ishak b. Surin. They were joined by the community of its former alliances inside Kuala Lumpur from Kampung Sungai Merali, Kampung Chubadak, Kampung Sungai Mulia.[27][28][29][30][31][32]

The City Hall Mayor at that time was Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail from Kedah, while the Minister of Federal Territories was Senator Raja Nong Chick from Perak, both are from outside Kuala Lumpur or Selangor.[33] The fight continues and succeeded in influencing political leaders from all sides. This move however only delayed the finalization of Kuala Lumpur Plan 2020 draft to 2012. Despite this, he Barisan Nasional government who ruled that time refuse to publish the final plan out of fear of losing their political support. Less than two years from its expiry date, in November 2018, the newly appointed Minister of Federal Territories, Khalid Abdul Samad from Pakatan Harapan government officially published the Kuala Lumpur Plan 2020. This motive, however, is not for implementation but to give way to the preparation for the new draft for Kuala Lumpur Plan 2040.

In Kuala Lumpur Structural Plan 2040 (PSKL2040), Padang Balang is recognized as one of the nine traditional village in Kuala Lumpur. The other villages also recognized in this plan is Kampung Sungai Mulia, Kampung Sungai Merali, Kampung Banda Dalam, Kampung Chubadak Hulu, Kampung Puah, Kampung Pandan Melayu, Kampung Pandan India and Kampung Pasir Baru.[34]