KUALA LUMPUR: Is it sunset for the 92-year-old Royal Selangor Flying Club (RSFC)?
This is the question on the mind of RSFC president Major (Rtd) Abdul Razak Hashim.
Better known as Ben Razak, he was utterly worried on the fate of the club, formed in 1929, but now without a proper premises to carry out its activities.
This follows its vacation of the original clubhouse in 2014 at the former Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Sungai Besi, which has been closed down to make way for the Bandar Malaysia development by 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Although abandoned and over-run by thick undergrowth and foliage, much of the RSFC's belongings are still in the locked clubhouse.
"We have yet to find a new premises at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport in Subang, where our sole aircraft - a Piper PA-28 Warrior aeroplane - is temporarily parked.
"Our temporary cabin at the airport, rented from Redland Aviation Sdn Bhd, is also closed owing to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown," said Razak, adding he was also attempting to engage the Selangor state and federal governments, and the Bandar Malaysia developer, to seek some form of compensation.
Razak, 79, has also written to RSFC patron the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, for advice.
To make matters worse, the existing clubhouse was burgled last week with the theft of two table-top computers and a bagful of ten RSFC souvenir, collared T-shirts and caps – worth an estimated RM5,000 in total.
"I was informed by telephone of the break-in by the base security personnel who noticed something amiss during their routine rounds.
"When I went over to inspect the premises, I found the front door surprisingly unlocked.
"Inside, there was a shattered glass-cabinet minus the souvenir, collared T-shirts and caps.
"Also missing were the two table-top computers in the office," said Razak, a retired RMAF pilot.
He added that the burglars did not touch the club's trophies, nostalgic wall photographs, files and furniture.
"I believe security is tight as no outsiders are allowed into the area, other than the contractors involved in development of the base," said Razak, who later lodged a report at the Tun H.S. Lee police station in Jalan Loke Yew.
The RSFC's woes had caught the attention of his majesty the Selangor Sultan, who had expressed grave concern on the fate of the club, which is facing a 'natural death'.
Sultan Sharafuddin felt the facility would cease to exist altogether, if it was denied to continue operations.
Razak said Sultan Sharafuddin was worried about the club being left in the lurch after it had served in developing the country's pioneer aviators since 1929.
"Many of these aviators have since gone on to become successful pilots, engineers, maintenance crew and air traffic controllers the world over.
"RSFC has a historical past and assisted in the formation of the country's auxiliary air force with many progressing as military and airline pilots, with the air base serving as the country's main international airport," said Razak.
Among the notable RSFC members were the country's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-haj; former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad; and late Foreign and Home Minister Tan Sri Ghazali Shafie.
Razak said the Sultan had, through a letter to him on Jan 26, 2017, stated his full backing for the survival of the club, with a 99-year extended lease from April 21, 2017 on its 20,647 sq metres of land.
"The Sultan wanted the RSFC to be given heritage status in view of its 'royal' title and that the historical club had existed on Selangor soil well before Kuala Lumpur became a federal territory (on Feb 2, 1972)," said Razak.
He added that the club is now desperately seeking a resolution to the current impasse.
"Only fair compensation and a new permanent home, preferably at Subang airport, would allow the RSFC legacy to continue," said Razak.
He added that the RSFC haD been since 1927, operating on a 30-year lease at the air base.
When the first 30-year lease expired in 1957, it was extended for another 30 years until 1987 and a third 30-year term until 2017.
Razak, who had also served as RSFC club captain in 1974, added that the RSFC had spent millions over the years to develop itself at the air base with 32,747 square feet (3,042.3sq m) of built-up facilities on 5.2-acres of land (2.10ha)
"The built-up facilities comprise a double-storey office block, a single-storey office, a canteen, a dormitory, a squash court, tennis court, gymnasium, a double hangar and a bungalow house.
"We estimate these facilities and the land area to cost around RM120 million, today," said Razak.
It was reported that Bandar Malaysia will be developed on 196.7ha of land, including the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) station, and will have an estimated total gross development value of RM140 billion.
The master developer of Bandar Malaysia is IWH-CREC Sdn Bhd, the consortium comprising IWH (60 per cent) and China Railway Engineering Corp (M) Sdn Bhd (40 per cent).