Muddy Waters: The Lost Sungai Lumpur by Dr. Lim Teckwyn & Peter Leong

Posted on May 6, 2026 Updated on May 13, 2026

Kuala Lumpur’s name is often translated as “muddy confluence” of the Klang and Gombak rivers, but could it come from a forgotten “Sungai Lumpur”? Join Dr. Lim Teckwyn and Peter Leong as they uncover the hidden story behind the city’s origins.

Admission is free. Click HERE to register. Limited seats left with limited walk-ins available. Please arrive early, entrance and seating is on first come first served basis.

Venue: Badan Warisan Malaysia, 2, Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur (nearest MRT: Conlay)

Dr. Lim Teckwyn runs Resource Stewardship Consultants Sdn Bhd and is an Honorary Professor in Environmental Science at the University of Nottingham Malaysia. He is also affiliated with the Centre for Malaysian Indigenous Studies at University of Malaya. His work focuses on the relationships between people and nature, particularly how landscapes, ecosystems, and indigenous knowledge systems intersect.

Peter Leong is a chemical engineer who held various roles in the petroleum industry before turning his focus toward environmental conservation, as well as civil and land rights. An avid hiking, orienteering, and mapping enthusiast, he studies trail and roadway histories, combining field exploration with historical research.

Together, they will present evidence suggesting that Kuala Lumpur may have been named after a now-hidden “Sungai Lumpur” (Mud River). Drawing on historical records, maps, and toponymic research, they will explore how this once-visible stream, later renamed Treacher Valley Stream, can reshape our understanding of the city’s indigenous and ecological heritage.