Completed in 1917 to serve as the offices of Federated Malay States Railways, it currently houses the headquarters of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM) or Malayan Railway Limited, which operates rail services in Peninsula Malaysia.

In 1913, Arthur Benison Hubback, Government Architect, Federated Malay States was commissioned by Federated Malay States Railways to design a building to serve as its new headquarters.

Construction was carried out by contractor Towkay Chua Hua Tong under the supervision of Public Works Department assistant architect W.S.

[1][2][3][4] Situated facing the old Kuala Lumpur railway station, completed seven years earlier to Hubback's design, the building's Indo-Saracenic design was similar to several other of Hubback's buildings in Kuala Lumpur including the former Municipal Office and Town Hall, Federated Malay States Survey Office and Jamek Mosque.

The three storey building was the highest in the Federated Malay States on completion, and includes a central octagonal cantilever staircase described at the time as the only example east of Suez.