Malaysian veteran civil servant draws architectural heritage back into view

Azman is relishing the return to basics, capturing the soul of the city through his urban sketches. Here, he poses with his drawing of the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur - a tribute to heritage through pen and paper. Photo: The Star/Azman Ghani

After three decades in architecture and public service, Datuk Azman Mohd Hashim is finding new meaning in old places.

As president of the Board of Architects Malaysia and a senior director at the Public Works Department (JKR), his days are packed with responsibility – but it’s in the quiet moments, felt-tip pen in hand, that he reconnects with the heart of his profession.