Help save Ceylon association heritage building

THE Ceylonese community came to Perak in the early 1880s to join the civil service and build the railways.

In 1899, they founded the Ceylonese Association of Taiping and put up the association’s building in 1901.

The members then were civil servants, contractors and railways workers.

They contributed to the growth and the development of Taiping town.

They and the community were instrumental in completing the present Ceylonese Association building.

Recently, I was told by the members that this heritage building is termite-infested.

A pest control company revealed last year that the building was under acute termite attack.

The treatment undertaken had failed to curb the deteriorating condition of the premises.

Very soon this building will be pronounced unfit and unsafe for use.

As an heritage activist, I strongly feel that this building must be saved.

It deserves proper management and a long-term plan with specific guidelines and inspection.

The question is who should fund such an exercise.

The protection of heritage should be a shared responsibility.

It should involve the association’s management, the general public, Taiping Town Council, National Heritage Department and the state government.

They should set up a fund to preserve all heritage buildings.

S. SUNDRALINGAM,

Ipoh.