Jinjang (), also known as ''J-Town'', is a township and Chinese new village in the

Kepong Kepong is a town in northern Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The name is a Malay word meaning "Enclose" or "Surround", as the town is surrounded by a mountain range. Places of interest * FRIM Kepong (Forest Research Institute Malaysia) * Temasek Pew ...

constituency in north-western

Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...

. Jinjang comprises Jinjang Utara (North) and Jinjang Selatan (South). It was previously known for the prevalence of 'gangsterism' from the 1960s.

Etymology of the name

It has been believed that the name ''Jinjang'' was derived from the name of a pig brought to Malaya by a Chinese merchant in the 19th century. The pig was believed to be auspicious. The name Jinjang might also be derived from the mispronunciation of the Chinese word “Zeng Guang”.

History

The town in its modern form was established as part of the British strategy called the

Briggs Plan The Briggs Plan ( ms, Rancangan Briggs) was a military plan devised by British General Sir Harold Briggs shortly after his appointment in 1950 as Director of Operations during the Malayan Emergency (1948–1960). The plan aimed to defeat the Ma ...

during the

Malayan Emergency The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War was a guerrilla war fought in British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the military forces ...

. The strategy aimed to relocate the colony’s large rural ethnic Chinese population of Malaya into more concentrated and governable spaces; in an effort to cut off supplies – mainly food, money and military provisions – to the MCP and MNLA. Jinjang was by far the largest of the resettlement areas (called " New Villages") on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, with an approximate population of 13,000, and at 445 hectares (4.45 km²), nearly twice the size of the other New Villages combined. During early post-independence years until the 1960s, the town gained a "fearsome" reputation due to the presence of

bandit Banditry is a type of organized crime committed by outlaws typically involving the threat or use of violence. A person who engages in banditry is known as a bandit and primarily commits crimes such as extortion, robbery, and murder, either as an ...

members; the notorious "

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...

" criminal Botak Chin was said to have been active in the area. Older residents surmised that the area's alleged seedy reputation likely stemmed from the fact that most early inhabitants were working-class and thus viewed with prejudice. Along with the township of

, Jinjang has been particularly prone to outbreaks of

dengue fever Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms typically begin three to fourteen days after infection. These may include a high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic ...

, and the outbreak of the 1973 dengue epidemic which resulted in 969 reported cases and killed 54 people was traced to Jinjang.BioSciences Information Service of Biological Abstracts (1980): ''Abstracts of entomology'', Volume 11.

Transportation

It is served by Jinjang MRT station and Sri Delima MRT station - on the

MRT Putrajaya Line The MRT Putrajaya Line is the second Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Klang Valley, Malaysia, and the third fully automated and driverless rail system in region. The line stretches from to Putrajaya and runs through densely populated areas ...

, with operations began on 16 June 2022.

References

{{Coord, 3, 07, N, 101, 41, E, display=title Suburbs in Kuala Lumpur

Etymology of the name

History

Transportation

See also

References