700-page book records architectural history of iconic structures in Malaysia

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka with its mural, in the 1960s. Photo from The Merdeka Interviews

Buildings and nation-building tend to go hand in hand in most countries, and it is no different in Malaysia. Key landmarks were constructed around the Merdeka year, 1957, including Parliament House, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Universiti Malaya and Stadium Merdeka.

Erecting such iconic structures involved great effort and planning in terms of design, as well as endless hours of hard physical labour – don’t forget that decades ago, building technology was not as advanced as current times.