1. Selaku Presiden Badan Warisan Malaysia saya mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan terima kasih kepada semua hadirin sekelian kerana sudi hadir di majlis anjuran Badan Warisan Malaysia ini.
Bagi saya, perjumpaan hari ini adalah suatu peristiwa yang istimewa oleh kerana inilah julung kali saya menunaikan tanggungjawab selaku Presiden Badan Warisan sejak saya dipilih mulai 5 Disember yang lalu.
2. Pada hari ini juga, saya merasa sangat gembira dan terhormat kerana berpeluang melancarkan:
(i) Logo baru bagi Badan Warisan Malaysia; dan
(ii) Hadiah Memorial Mubin Sheppard.
3. Dalam majlis yang bersejarah ini, saya ingin mengambil kesempatan untuk menerangkan program dan aktiviti Badan Warisan Malaysia pada masa ini dan seterusnya bagi tahun-tahun hadapan.
4. This year, the Badan Warisan Malaysia and Sahabat Warisan Malaysia were merged. The "new" Badan Warisan Malaysia logo is a generalized form of a window design which occurs in the different cultures in Malaysia. The window separates, yet allows, the penetration of light. For us it expresses the past filtering through into our future. As an organization, we are committed to preserving our heritage and formulating a Malaysian architectural identity.
5. This year we completed two projects. The work in Melaka is an example of our continuing efforts to support the government in its efforts to plan for preservation, through the:
(i) Malacca Heritage Area Action Plan. This study was commissioned by the Malacca City Council and covered the Heritage District along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Jalan Hang Jebat. We have a copy of the Plan on exhibit here. The initial & final studies of the project was coordinated by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. A formal presentation to the City Council will be made in the future;
(ii) the Bamboo House, Kuala Kangsar, Perak - which had been restored, the oldest known building in Kuala Kangsar, Perak. It won the PAM (Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia) Jurors Award 1995 for Design Excellence. It exemplified the collaborative effort between BWM and Institute Teknologi MARA, whose staff and students documented and supervised the reconstruction. Additional financial support came from Bandaraya Development Sdn Bhd and Muzium Negara.
6. We are bringing to fruition two ongoing projects, namely a publication, which represents our attempt to support the need for the identification of conservation districts as part of the preservation process, and a restoration project in Perak, a fine example of what can be achieved with the combined muscle of corporate financing, artistic vision and the commitment of the Badan. The book `Pemeliharaan Warisan Rupa Bandar' - written in Bahasa Malaysia, highlights the importance of defining conservation areas in the urban context. There are maps and historical references to 49 towns in Malaysia which identify examples of heritage buildings and streets in those towns. This publication is sponsored by several notable corporations of which VISA International is the major donor. It is our intention to share copies of the handbook with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Department of Town and Country Planning, Local Authorities, Museums and Universities. The restoration of the Bomoh House, Changkat Jering, Perak, - a house owned by three generations of Bomohs and was built in 1875 by the first bomoh, Haji Abdullah. There will be a completion ceremony and kenduri on 16th March to celebrate the conclusion of this longstanding project. Funding for this project came from the proceeds of the sale of `Warisan Nusa' - Shell Book of Malaysian Heritage. This is a compilation of illustrated drawings by Ilsa Noor which includes this house as one of several historical buildings of architectural value in Malaysia. Shell Malaysia Ltd, commissioned the work to commemorate their 100th year anniversary.
7. For this year, the organization will start on two projects. Both are restoration projects, firstly, Penghulu House - This house is located at the Perak/Kedah border in Parit Buntar. It was formerly the home of a Penghulu but has not been occupied for many years. It is in danger of disintegration. It contains wonderful examples of Malaysian craftsmanship. With the assistance of Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, FRIM we have almost completed the initial documentation and analysis of the restoration work needed. We anticipate the dismantling and move of the house in the next two months. There have been two main issues which have held us up. One was the lack of a "home" to move the house to in Kuala Lumpur and the other is sponsorship. We have solved the first and will be taking action on the second; Secondly, House No. 2 Jalan Stonor - We are finalizing our move to our new Heritage Centre in the Golden Triangle in Kuala Lumpur. I would like to thank the Government for offering to us the use of this house, a fine example of colonial architecture. We will try to do all that is feasible to restore this building to its original shape. The lush grounds will be the perfect backdrop for the Penghulu House.
8. It gives me great pleasure to launch the Mubin Sheppard Memorial Prize. The purpose of the Prize is to stimulate students* awareness of the need to conserve Malaysian architectural heritage and to encourage research and writings on various aspects of their conservation and preservation. This is very much in keeping with the stated mission of the Badan Warisan Malaysia.
9. This competition is open to all undergraduate or postgraduate students of Malaysian citizenship studying at recognized local tertiary institutions. Successful candidates will receive cash prizes as well as official certificates which will be a maximum of three. The prizes are for works in the form of a thesis, dissertation, monograph, essay, treatise, journal article or illustrated project report in English or Bahasa Malaysia. You have each been given a copy of the Mubin Sheppard Memorial Prize brochure for further details. The complete information package for the students will include an application form and a comment sheet. We hope to receive all submissions around the end of April. These will be reviewed by a panel of five judges who will select the submissions to be awarded.
10. The members of our panel consist of architects and planners in private practice, academia and the government. Three judges are members of our Council. They are: (i) Mr. John Koh, Principal of Akitek Majubina Chartered Architects, who is the Chairman of the Panel; (ii) Mr. Jimmy Lim, Principal Architect for CSL Associates, and (iii) Professor Ezrin Arbi, Coordinator for the Architecture Programme in the Faculty of Engineering, University Malaya. The other two judges are: Professor Parid Wardi Sudin, Dean of the Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Skudai; and Encik Rohaizan Ahmad, Head of the Conservation and Urban Design Unit, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur. Barring unforeseen events, we hope to hold the presentation ceremony in the middle of this year at our new office.
11. In naming this award the Mubin Sheppard Memorial Prize we pay tribute to the late Tan Sri Dato' Dr. Haji Mubin Sheppard, who was one of the founding members and driving force behind the movement to conserve the architectural heritage of Malaysia. He was a man with a great passion for the history, traditions and people of Malaysia. Educated in Cambridge with a degree in history, the late Tan Sri joined the Malayan Civil Service in 1928 and held various posts such as District Officer, Advisor and Resident. This gentleman had many talents. To name just a few of his many achievements, he was the editor of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society and author of numerous books and articles, including Tunku: A Pictorial Biography. He pionered the formation of The National Museum and the National Archives. The close association of the late Tan Sri with our beloved Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj is reflected in the choice of the venue and the date of this launch. Today, February 8th is the anniversary of the Tunku's birthday. Through this Prize, we hope to foster in our youth, a greater appreciation of our architectural heritage as physical expressions of crucial moments in our rich and varied history.
We look forward to a strong response from the universities invited to participate in this competition.
12. On behalf of Badan Warisan Malaysia, I thank you all for attending the launch and hope for your continued support in the future.
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