You could say that Kuala Lumpur owes its existence to a commodity. It was pretty much started because of tin mining by Chinese prospectors. They were hired by the local Malay royal family. Supplies could be brought right up to the point where two rivers meet. We are a kilometer from that location. Families of Chinese, Moslem Indian, and other Malay traders and businessmen began to arrive. This was KL's genesis.
Of course, the local history is affected by all that has occurred between then and now. There were years and years of British administration initially during the reign of Queen Victoria. On the economic side, later a global car industry bought about a critical need for rubber, a material which could easily be grown here. In the 1930s this city had 110,000 inhabitants and if you look at today's photos you will be able to see an art-deco clock tower from that era.
Influences never stop, of course. This area was occupied for three years and eight months by the Japanese during the WWII. After this period, some Malay states joined together but this city did not gain independence to become the capital of Malaysia until 1957, just several years before I was born. This is a global city with workers and residents from many places. Obviously, the descendants of those from India and China, as well as local Malays, help form the population of Kuala Lumpur. Also today, tens of thousands of foreign guest workers work and live here.
Anyway, if you'd like to learn more, here's a Wikipedia article containing some information on the History of Kuala Lumpur. I hope you enjoy a few of the photos I snapped today.
