Broken promises: Heritage buildings in KL left to decay

TWO heritage buildings within the historic enclave of Jalan Raja in Kuala Lumpur, near Merdeka Square, have been virtually abandoned even as the nation’s capital city prepares for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

Both buildings, the old Chartered Bank building and the Industrial Court are in a very sorry state today.

The Standard Chartered building was built in 1891 to house the Standard Chartered bank. A new three-storey building replaced the original building in 1909. It last housed the Music Museum from Aug 1, 2015, to Jan 9, 2017.

Meanwhile, the Industrial Court building was built in 1905 and housed Chow Kit & Company, a department store catering to European women.

Both buildings belong to the Selangor government.

Despite the promise of rejuvenating the two buildings, nothing has been done at both sites.

In an exclusive report titled “New life planned for heritage buildings” in 2022, StarMetro reported that the Selangor government intended to open the doors of the two buildings to the public by the end of 2023.

The Industrial Court building has wild plants growing on its roof and upper floors. — WILLIAM GARY/The Star

Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI), the state’s strategic investment arm, had said it planned to turn the two historical buildings into information centres to promote the state as a tourist destination.

Referring to the buildings as “Selangor House” and “The Court” respectively, MBI said the two historical buildings in the heart of Kuala Lumpur would get a major makeover following years of neglect.

It said the court building in Jalan Mahkamah would become a tourist centre to provide information on Selangor’s historical and unique attractions as well as initiatives introduced by the state.

MBI said the buildings were to become the Kuala Lumpur “gateway to Selangor”, providing visitors a sneak peek of the state’s best attractions.

This, it said, would be in line with the “Selangor in A Day” programme that would showcase cultural, heritage and tourist attractions, besides providing information on business and investment opportunities in the state.

MBI was supposed to work on the project with Selangor Malay Customs and Heritage Corporation (Padat) and other state agencies.

StarMetro reached out to MBI and a company spokesperson responded via WhatsApp: “The project is on hold until further notice. We are in the midst of looking for a new contractor.

”During a recent visit to both buildings, StarMetro discovered that the buildings were in bad shape and had not been maintained for a long time.

The old Chartered Bank building was in a derelict condition, with wild shrubs and plants creeping on the walls.

The building’s classic architecture showed signs of deterioration, with visible mould, overgrown vegetation, and areas where the paint had peeled off revealing the underlying brickwork.

Ferns and plants had taken root in the structure itself, suggesting prolonged neglect.

In contrast, the newer building in the background looked well maintained.

StarMetro report on Feb 7, 2022.

The juxtaposition created a stark contrast between old and new, which made the neglect even more pronounced.

There was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the centre of the archway.

Its presence added an element of faded grandeur to the scene, suggesting that the space might have once been used for formal, prestigious events.

The Industrial Court building is also in a bad state, with wild plants and shrubs growing on its roof and the upper part of the structure.

The corridors were littered with rubbish and looked shabby.

In an earlier report by StarMetro, the National Heritage Department (JWN), responsible for preserving heritage buildings nationwide, said it was aware of the situation.

The then JWN director-general Mohd Azmi Mohd Yusof said that it had been pursuing Padat for two years after noticing the building’s deterioration but had not received any response.

Mohd Azmi said that the responsibility of a heritage building laid with its owner under the National Heritage Act 2005, stressing that owners must maintain their properties.