GEORGE TOWN: Jelutong member of parliament RSN Rayer has urged the authorities to restore the Penang High Court building in Light Street to its original glory.
He said the current state of the building leaves much to be desired as it was out of bounds to the public and lawyers, having been declared unsafe.
He said the iconic building had a glorious history which dates back to the British colonial era.
"I was told that the British used this building as an administration hub. This majestic structure needs immediate attention and urgent restoration and repair.
"I fear for the future that awaits this building especially in the present state of affairs and political turmoil looming over this country. The powers that be may be too busy to look into this matter.
"I also fear that the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Parliament and Legal Affairs, (Datuk Seri) Takiyuddin Hassan, may be overwhelmed with other matters and unable to fulfil and execute the promise made in Parliament in the last sitting in November 2020 to immediately commission the long overdue restoration and repair works on the said building," he said today.
Rayer said it was heart wrenching to see the iconic building lying idle and rotting in a dilapidated state.
"It is my fervent hope that this appeal for immediate intervention and action will not go unheeded and that the old Penang High Court building will be restored to its long-awaited original glory immediately," he added.
The Palladian-style Penang High Court building, built in 1903 as the Penang Supreme Court at that time, was closed in August 2018 after structural defects were detected.
Located within the George Town World Heritage zone, the majestic white building was designated as a national heritage back in 2005.
It underwent major restoration works in 2007, and at the same time, an adjacent three-storey annexe was built.
In January 2019, then Works Minister Baru Bian had announced that the more than a century-old building would undergo massive restoration works costing RM17 million, which included repairing damaged walls, roof, and structure.