Architects condemn demolition job

An excavator demolishing the Puncak Purnama sculpture on Jalan Sultan Sulaiman. — filepic

THE Association of Consulting Architects Malaysia (ACA:M) have condemned the destruction of the Puncak Purnama sculpture by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) last Friday.

Its president Jasmeet Singh Sidhu said emphasis should have been placed on preserving the nation’s built heritage.

“This destruction of the city’s art heritage raises many pertinent questions, like who were the technical or art experts consulted before the decision to declare the structure “an eyesore” was made?

“Was any other option such as the relocation and care of the sculpture by other authorities or NGOs considered?

“Most pertinent is why was the sculpture left to rot only to be bulldozed later,” said Jasmeet.

He said the usual procedure was to get specialised input by independent industry experts to prepare the necessary reports.

“In this case, were the dilapidation report or environmental impact assessment done beforehand?

“Major cities in the world take pride in maintaining their rich cultural and built heritage which ensures the cities remain vibrant, living habitats with a colourful heritage

“The majority of tourists come here to see our heritage, not marvel at sparkling glass towers, as they have enough of those back home.

“That is something our authorities seem to be missing and it is important that we maintain an identity that is uniquely Malaysian,” he said.

Jasmeet added a committee on technical and art matters should be set up to handle issues such as this.

“Let the experts decide. For example, they will determine the structural stability of such structures and the artistic credibility of these art.

“If these structures must be removed (and having first determined that these are legitimate heritage pieces), then perhaps an alternative site should be found.

“No doubt in our tropical climate, our built structures do not last as long as in cold European climates.

“However, over the past few years, we have been wantonly destroying ‘still solid’ buildings,” he said, citing the Bok House in Jalan Ampang.

“Bottomline is that DBKL as the custodian of public art and spaces need to be more circumspect and responsible in its duties.

“Matters of public interest should be dealt with transparently and diligently,” he added.

The sudden demolition of the Puncak Purnama sculpture in Jalan Sultan Sulaiman, Kuala Lumpur on July 1 had shocked the art fraternity and city folks.

In a statement on July 4, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the site was located on the ongoing River of Life project.

“DBKL decided to demolish the structure because it was a threat to public safety, subjected to vandalism and had become a hotspot for vagrants and drug addicts.

“We also found that the unmaintained drainage on the sculpture was a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” he said.

Puncak Purnama was built by the late National Laureate Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal (1929-2011) using ceramic glass.

The sculpture was commissioned by United Malayan Banking Corporation Finance in 1986, after which it was handed over to DBKL in November the same year.

In 2010, The Star reported that in 1996, DBKL had altered the ceramic glass to stainless steel without the consent of Syed Ahmad, who then brought DBKL to court and was awarded RM750,000 in compensation for infringement of his moral rights.

It was learnt that the stainless steel facade was later removed, exposing the concrete underneath and left as it was until its demolition last week.