Puncak Purnama could have been restored

THE Malaysian Institute of Architects, as an institute responsible for the promotion of architecture and the various arts related to it, is dismayed and saddened that Puncak Purnama, the sculpture by our late National Laureate Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal, has been demolished by Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL).

This iconic piece of art, which was a landmark at Jalan Sultan Sulaiman for 30 years, is now gone forever.

Citing that the sculpture is an eyesore and beyond repair is not acceptable. As a matter of fact, it was the responsibility of DBKL to regularly maintain the sculpture after it was handed over by the United Malayan Banking Corporation Finance to the city authorities in 1986.

If the sculpture was in a bad state – as it was claimed to be – work could have been carried out by specialist or professional conservationists to bring it back to its original state.

We can restore dilapidated buildings such as the Suffolk House in Penang to its former glory so why not a sculpture?

It would be truly sad if we as a nation have lost our appreciation of the value of art works by our own national laureate.

AR MOHD ZULHEMLEE AN

President

Malaysian Institute of Architects