Retain Coliseum Cinema As Living Heritage - Badan Warisan Malaysia.
Coliseum Cinema should be retained as a living heritage site and allowed to operate as a cinema which it has been doing for 85 years, said Badan Warisan Malaysia.
The heritage body said in a statement Monday that Coliseum Cinema is highly valued by the Kuala Lumpur community and also holds memories for many Malaysians from all walks of life.
"Public opinion is overwhelming in support of retaining the Coliseum Cinema as a living heritage site. "Not only is the Coliseum Cinema one of the few remaining historical buildings of its kind, it is also embedded within a lively cultural and social setting of which it is an integral part. "For these reasons, Badan Warisan Malaysia believes it should be acknowledged as a national heritage treasure," it said.
Badan Warisan said heritage has to do with the collective memory of people. "No longer is conservation purely an exercise in retaining physical fabric. More and more, it is concerned with maintaining the 'soul' of a place. "The 'soul' of the Coliseum Cinema is intact and healthy -- a fact reinforced by the response from the Malaysian public who normally may not be compelled to react to planned changes to historic sites," it said.
It said such response from ordinary people who care about their common heritage is an expression of their attachment to the historic landmarks of their city and their country. "Is this not something the government should treasure, something we all should take cognisance of?" it said.
Badan Warisan said that in Malaysia there are many owners of dilapidated historical buildings who are either not willing or not financially able to upkeep and preserve them. These are the heritage buildings which are desperately in need of intervention by the government, it said.
"Badan Warisan is gravely concerned that the intended Coliseum acquisition may cause many owners to rush to develop and demolish their heritage buildings in order to pre-empt forcible acquisition by the government.
"The Coliseum Cinema is an icon from the past that exists in the present and should be handed down to future generations," it said.
If the government's concern is to ensure the future preservation of the Coliseum, there are other mechanisms that can be employed other than acquisition, it added.
The Coliseum Cinema at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman was built in 1920-1921 by the Chua family, at that time led by Chua Cheng Bok. The building was one of the earliest cinemas in Kuala Lumpur and has been continuously operated as a cinema hall, with only a break during the Japanese occupation during World War II.
**** Will someone please ensure that this message reaches Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, who is fast becoming the most unpopular person in KL due to this unthinking action on his part. There is no shame in changing his mind even now. In fact it will be considered a good thing if he would. After the very clear opinion of the Badan Warisan Malaysia I don't think he has any option other than to let the Coliseum remain as it is. Let us all hope that good sense will prevail.
The heritage body said in a statement Monday that Coliseum Cinema is highly valued by the Kuala Lumpur community and also holds memories for many Malaysians from all walks of life.
"Public opinion is overwhelming in support of retaining the Coliseum Cinema as a living heritage site. "Not only is the Coliseum Cinema one of the few remaining historical buildings of its kind, it is also embedded within a lively cultural and social setting of which it is an integral part. "For these reasons, Badan Warisan Malaysia believes it should be acknowledged as a national heritage treasure," it said.
Badan Warisan said heritage has to do with the collective memory of people. "No longer is conservation purely an exercise in retaining physical fabric. More and more, it is concerned with maintaining the 'soul' of a place. "The 'soul' of the Coliseum Cinema is intact and healthy -- a fact reinforced by the response from the Malaysian public who normally may not be compelled to react to planned changes to historic sites," it said.
It said such response from ordinary people who care about their common heritage is an expression of their attachment to the historic landmarks of their city and their country. "Is this not something the government should treasure, something we all should take cognisance of?" it said.
Badan Warisan said that in Malaysia there are many owners of dilapidated historical buildings who are either not willing or not financially able to upkeep and preserve them. These are the heritage buildings which are desperately in need of intervention by the government, it said.
"Badan Warisan is gravely concerned that the intended Coliseum acquisition may cause many owners to rush to develop and demolish their heritage buildings in order to pre-empt forcible acquisition by the government.
"The Coliseum Cinema is an icon from the past that exists in the present and should be handed down to future generations," it said.
If the government's concern is to ensure the future preservation of the Coliseum, there are other mechanisms that can be employed other than acquisition, it added.
The Coliseum Cinema at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman was built in 1920-1921 by the Chua family, at that time led by Chua Cheng Bok. The building was one of the earliest cinemas in Kuala Lumpur and has been continuously operated as a cinema hall, with only a break during the Japanese occupation during World War II.
**** Will someone please ensure that this message reaches Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, who is fast becoming the most unpopular person in KL due to this unthinking action on his part. There is no shame in changing his mind even now. In fact it will be considered a good thing if he would. After the very clear opinion of the Badan Warisan Malaysia I don't think he has any option other than to let the Coliseum remain as it is. Let us all hope that good sense will prevail.
posted by The Malaysian. at 8/15/2006 12:05:00 AM
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