Kuala Kubu Baharu: Of 'fortress on estuary' and Lee's legacy

About 60km north of Kuala Lumpur, the tranquil century-old town of Kuala Kubu Baharu, planned as a "garden city", is about to hold a by-election.

Once a bustling town, Kuala Kubu Baharu was renowned for its tin mining industry, attracting pioneers like Yap Ah Loy and Loke Yew from Kuala Lumpur. Today, the town's residents are mostly elderly and children, with most youth seeking livelihoods elsewhere.

Old shops built during the British colonial period flanked both sides of the road, adding a little charm to this usually quiet town.

Come weekends or holidays, there will be an influx of visitors, bringing additional income to the town's shops. Even more so as the by-election is approaching...