Written by: Averroes
While I was in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the 'City of the Muddy Confluence' of the Klang and Gombak River, I went to the Bangunan Abdul Samad in Kuala Lumpur to collect the consent from the Department of National Heritage for answering an interview questionnaire under my UiTM Shah Alam Honours Project Paper on Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The law governing cultural heritage in Malaysia is the National Heritage Act 2005.
Its splendour and awe made me gaze in reverie. Inside this historical building, it was the first time that I ever stepped on its marble floor. All this time, I have only witnessed its façade on textbooks, TV and back in Secondary School, I saw a friend of mine built a miniature size of it made from cardboard and paper mache.
While I cruised the corridors, one of the staffs greeted me and foretold his service of more than 16 years in the Department of National Heritage. He regaled to me the several renovations made, starting from the roofs with new tiles, the garden compound with its artificial water pools, the balustrades, walls and windows.
He had told me that in order to preserve and conserve our historical icons, the materials needed to be used must be similar, or we would be destroying its authenticity. However, this only applies to the exterior of the historical building and not the interior.
When I entered the building, the interior were fully furbished with modern air-conditioning, cubicles, new white painting and ceiling. There were also modern blue office carpets. I informed him of my concerns of the old FMS Surveyor Office building, with its decaying domes or chhatris.
He mentioned that, in order to renovate or conserve historical buildings, it will come at a costly price. He also adds that, in certain situations, the Federal Government would have to reach an agreement with the State Authority on land matters and the historical site in question to assist in preserving our historical buildings. This is all related to politics in the end.
I have to say, the staff has the nitty-gritty for history given his long service to the Department. I bid him goodbye and it was the Zuhur prayers. He showed me directions to the Masjid Jamek, arguably the oldest mosque in Kuala Lumpur.
I exited the building and did a small tour. I was astonished by this cosmopolitan metropolis, which evolved with soaring skyscrapers, especially with the Petronas Towers, the TRX and the soon to be completed Merdeka 118 across the skyline.
Most of the historical buildings in Malaysia were built by the architect, Arthur Benison Hubback, including the following which he was involved in;
1) The Ubudiah Mosque in Kuala Kangsar
2) The Ipoh Train Railway Station
3) The FMS Train Station and its headquarters
4) Bangunan Abdul Samad
5) Masjid Jamek
6) FMS Surveyor Office
7) The Old High Court Building
They all share the same common trait, which was inspired by Moorish and Mughal architecture. My hope is that, the government and our communities would continue to preserve and conserve our national identities.
Kuala Lumpur is such a vibrant and eclectic city and I have always had dreams to live there, maybe in a small apartment or landed house and work or start my career as a lawyer and establishing my own firm one day.
On note, it is going to be extremely expensive with the rents and cost of living, I wonder how I would survive in the next coming years due to frenzied urbanisation.
References;
https://www.nst.com.my/news/exclusive/2020/02/562143/kls-iconic-buildings-get-facelift
https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/jom/2018/10/417941/kl-heritage-walk
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/top-lifestyle/2021/01/24/the-story-behind-the-sultan-abdul-samad-building/
https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2020/10/635067/sleepy-backwater-town-capital-masterpiece-reliving-kuala
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