SULEIMAN COURT : KL'S FIRST HIGH-RISE

SULEIMAN COURT: KL'S FIRST HIGH-RISE – The Building That Taught Kuala Lumpur To Look Up

If you are standing in front of SOGO Kuala Lumpur on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman today, you are standing on history.

Before SOGO, before the traffic, before Pertama and Campbell Complex, there was Suleiman Court – or, as KL folks called it, the Mido Flats.

1. The Beginning

In 1957, Malaya was about to become independent. The first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, wanted a symbol that the new nation could house its own people in the city.

He ordered the Housing Trust Federation to build the first high-rise low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur. The site chosen was Batu Road, now Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

The flats were named Suleiman Court after Suleiman bin Abdul Rahman, the then Minister of Interior & Justice, who had overseen the Housing Trust for 8 years since its inception.

Construction started in 1957 and was estimated to complete in 1958. Tunku wanted it occupied before Merdeka on 31 August 1957, but the first families only moved in February 1958.

2. The Building Itself

Your two photos capture it perfectly:

• 3 Blocks – A, B and C with 295 apartments in total
• Architectural Style: Modernist. The wavy, undulating facade you see in the colour photo was not just for beauty – it was a brise-soleil sun-shading design, very advanced for the 1950s.
• On top of Block A was a huge MIDO watch advertisement. That's why everyone called it Rumah Flat Mido.
• On the ground floor, as you can see in your first image, was the famous MEI LI CAFE and other shops. It was a self-contained community.

At that time, living in a high-rise was frightening for many Malaysians who were used to kampung houses. Tunku had to waive the rent for the first 6 months to encourage people to move in.

Former resident Karuna Netty recalled that Tunku himself came to inspect, and when he found defects with only 13 families moved in, he ordered all rectified immediately.

3. Life in Suleiman Court (1960s)

Your second photo from 1963 says it all. Life was simple. Children played with a ball in the garden below the flats. The Odeon Cinema, Coliseum Theatre and Globe Silk Store were within walking distance. Some residents even walked to Stadium Merdeka for the Merdeka proclamation.

More than 200 former residents gathered in 2007 for a reunion – 21 years after demolition – to remember the days when Suleiman Court was the pride of KL. Many of them were bachelors when they first moved in.

4. The End

After only 29 years, Suleiman Court was demolished in 1986 to make way for modern commercial development. In its place rose SOGO Shopping Complex, which opened in 1994 and still stands today.

Had it still stood, it would be almost 70 years old now – a perfect heritage building for Merdeka celebrations.

Why It Matters Today

Suleiman Court wasn't just a building; it represented the birth of modern high-rise living in Kuala Lumpur. It proved that affordable housing could be vertical. Without Suleiman Court, there would be no Pekeliling Flats, no Flat Loke Yew, and no modern KL skyline.

Suleiman Court, Kuala Lumpur (1963) vs Suleiman Court, Kuala Lumpur (colourised) – same facade, different era.

Location: Batu Road (now Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman), opposite former Odeon Cinema. Where SOGO KL is today.

Sources: Wikipedia Suleiman Courts, The Star / HBA "200 former residents reminisce" 2007.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

19/9/2026: 2:46 a.m.