History preserved: The Railway Administration Building in Kuala Lumpur was first completed in 1917 and currently houses the KTM Berhad corporate headquarters. This landmark serves as an example of how old buildings can be preserved and maintained. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
Lack of upkeep turning iconic KL spots into dilapidated sites
KUALA LUMPUR: The Jalur Gemilang flutters proudly from the tall flagpole at Dataran Merdeka as tourists flood the historical square where Malaya proclaimed independence 68 years ago.
Just metres away though, a different story is unfolding.
A short walk down the road, the century-old onion-shaped dome on the former Federated Malay States Survey Office is cracked. Green moss is spreading along the balcony ceilings, with some stretches looking like they may collapse at any moment.
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Parasitic plants have also grown on the balconies of the building at the intersection of Jalan Raja and Jalan Tun Perak.
At the Old High Court Building nearby, the upper floors are neglected, with a dome there also looking dilapidated.
The iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building, meanwhile, is undergoing a major refurbishment with all but the clock tower being covered by construction sheets.
In Dataran Merdeka itself, the stench of ammonia reeks from the Queen Victoria Fountain a stone’s throw from the flagpole. Moss and algae have turned the stagnant waters into a dark shade of green and the tiles on the fountain are also broken.
The old Chartered Bank Building meanwhile looks like something out of a horror movie.
The low-lying fences are rusted, a door is left open on the first floor of the building while discarded wrappers and plastic bottles cling to the fence like unwanted guests refusing to leave.
Walking past, one may not even know what the building was, if not for a faded sign board which lists it as a heritage site.
A closer look also revealed a plaque indicating the building was registered as a heritage site in 2006.
Next to it, the old government printing office shares a similar fate.
Several windows on the top floor are completely broken and paint is peeling off its walls. It’s a spot most tourists don’t even look at.
Rubbish is also clumped in parts of the waterway along the River of Life bridge headed towards Dataran Merdeka, with monitor lizards basking there.
Architect and heritage conservationist Datuk Hajeedar Abdul Majid said the preservation of such sites was important as they not only retains historic values but also architectural values.
“The architecture we see today is nothing like what we had back then. It shows how far we have come, from a colonial past to the skyscrapers of today.
“A city without old buildings is like an old person without any memories,” said Hajeedar.
“Preserving such buildings will also increase the tourism appeal there,” he said.
Asked if the dilapidated heritage buildings could suffer major damage like collapsing roofs, he said it could happen “anytime”.
“None of us know where the weak spots are. When the roof leaks, water seeps in and onto the timber structures, resulting in them rotting.
“This weakens the structure and when it cannot hold the weight anymore, it will just collapse,” he said.
Hajeedar said that, under the National Heritage Act, it was the responsibility of heritage building owners to maintain buildings.
Section 42 (1) of the Act states that the owner of a heritage site shall ensure that the heritage site is always in a state of good repair.
If a building owner isn’t doing enough to take care of a heritage site, the Heritage Commissioner can step in and do the repair work.
After the work is done, the owner must pay back all reasonable costs for the repairs.
“Owners, please look into it. It is your legal obligation,” he said, proposing tax incentives to encourage building owners to upkeep their properties in a manner that is identical to its original design.
