KOTA KINABALU: The historic Kota Kinabalu Community Centre, which was destroyed in a fire, must be restored with its original design and structure, says Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said.
The former Sabah chief minister said upgrading should only be done for its toilets and cafe facilities in order to preserve its heritage status and culturally historical value.
"It is a well-known community centre and has been the site of many momentous and historic events from the colonial era until today," he said.
The community centre was gazetted as a Cultural Heritage Conservation site under the Sabah Cultural Heritage Conservation Enactment 1997.
"It remains protected as a heritage site," he said during a visit to the community hall, which suffered 80% damage in a fire on Tuesday (July 29).
"During my visit to the site, I found that much of the original concrete walls at the main hall are not materially affected by the fire, which occurred mainly on the east side of the hall.
"The roof, on the other hand, needs a complete reconstruction," he said.
Following the fire, Kota Kinabalu City Hall said that they were assessing the damages with an eye to restoring the post-World War II building that was opened in 1958.
The Kota Kinabalu Community Hall is seen as a historical landmark in the city as it was used by the British colonial government, and was the site of major events, including gatherings for the formation of Malaysia.
The hall stood as a post-war symbol of reconstruction, as most of Jesselton (the former name of Kota Kinabalu) was destroyed during the Allied liberation of Sabah from the Japanese. It was opened in 1958 by then British North Borneo governor Sir Roland Turnbull.
Over the past six decades, the hall was a venue for community and political gatherings, exhibitions and sporting events such as boxing, badminton and basketball matches.
