KLANG — The Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) has proposed reintroducing trishaw rides as a tourism initiative aimed at boosting the local economy and enhancing the city’s heritage appeal. The plan seeks to revive the use of the three-wheeled cycle rickshaw as a distinctive attraction for visitors, providing an immersive experience through the royal city’s historic and cultural sites.

Chua Yee Ling, chief executive officer of Tourism Selangor, highlighted the dual function of the revival effort. Besides evoking a sense of nostalgia, the trishaws would help strengthen Klang’s identity as Selangor’s royal city and support tourism-related businesses. She noted that in the previous year, Klang welcomed approximately 853,000 tourists, with domestic visitors comprising nearly 70% and foreign tourists about 30%.

Tourism Selangor has been collaborating with MBDK, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac), and Volunheritage—a community social enterprise involved in Klang’s tourism sector—to develop the trishaw program as a premium tourism experience. Chua indicated that Tourism Selangor would assist in designing an appealing trishaw route to integrate into the broader plan to revitalize the service.

City councillors expressed strong support for the proposal. Aziz Khan Muhammed Ali pointed out that the trishaw rides would offer visitors a more engaging means to explore Klang’s landmarks and heritage neighborhoods, as well as potentially generate new economic opportunities for local residents. He emphasized that the initiative could stimulate greater spending by tourists along the designated routes.

Sharon Chia Siu also underscored the potential for the trishaws to contribute a unique, nostalgic feature to Klang’s tourism offerings, helping to distinguish the city as a heritage destination attractive to both domestic and international visitors. Meanwhile, councillor Mohd Rayme Abdul Rahman highlighted the appeal of the trishaws as a leisurely way to navigate the city and experience its various cultural and historical attractions. He noted the possible benefits to local traders, tour operators, and food and beverage outlets stemming from increased visitor engagement.

Historical records from the MBDK archive department indicate that trishaws were commonly used in Klang during the mid-20th century, serving practical functions such as transporting schoolchildren and market-goers until about 2003. The trishaws were also once featured in local races during the 1980s.

The proposed revival of trishaw services is part of a broader strategy to foster heritage tourism and stimulate economic growth in Klang by capitalizing on the city’s rich cultural assets and historical significance. Discussions between the relevant agencies continue as plans move forward to implement the project.