KUALA LUMPUR: The historical site of Carcosa Seri Negara will be redeveloped by the government to turn it into an iconic tourism spot.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry secretary-general Datuk Isham Ishak said the building, along with the land, would undergo a facelift as part of the government's plan to transform it.
He said an evaluation on the colonial mansion located on a 13.3ha prime land in the heart of the city was being carried out.
"We are working with the Public Works Ministry which will conduct a forensic study to determine the structural safety of the colonial buildings, as well as the infrastructures including its piping and wiring. The study will also cover the road network surrounding the buildings. The access roads leading to the site are narrow and we have to look into that.
"In the meantime, we have to secure the area for safety reasons, with security guards (being assigned) there.
“By early next year, we hope to look at proposals on how the building can be preserved and give a facelift through renovations, and turn it into an iconic tourist attraction in Kuala Lumpur,” he said on the sidelines of the World Tourism Conference here today.
He said the proposals might also include possible collaboration with the private sector.
On rumours that the land was up for sale, Isham said it was not true as it would be preserved under the National Heritage Act 2005.
It was reported that the two separate buildings were handed over to a company to manage but the government, through the Land and Mines director-general, had ordered it to be vacated as the company had not paid any rent for the building since 2017.
The Carcosa mansion was built in 1896 as the official residence for Sir Frank Swettenham, the first British High Commissioner of the then Resident-General of the Federated Malay States.
Then known as the Governor's Residence. it was opened in 1913 as the official guest house of Governor of the Straits Settlement.
Since Independence in 1957, it has been used as residence for visiting dignitaries between 1957 and 1989, and as a luxury hotel from 1989 to 2015.