I REFER to the article, “Govt’s final offer for Kg Baru land” on Oct 24, 2019. I disagree with the government’s plan to develop Kampung Baru into skyscrapers.
Malaysia desperately needs to retain the historical village of Kampung Baru so that we can pay our respects to those who have lived there before, and by preserving the past and promoting its history and culture.
Instead of buying off the land of the Malays left in Kuala Lumpur, the government should convert the Malay settlements into a tourism icon, like what was done to Kampung Morten in Melaka, and the award-winning living museum, the Sarawak Cultural Village.
Malaysians understand the need for urban renewal activities in Kuala Lumpur, especially Kampung Baru, that is located near the Petronas Twin Towers. However, if Kampung Baru is going to be replaced with fancy hotels and skyscrapers, these modern buldings would not suit the purpose of helping those villagers.
Kampung Baru is already a famous landmark of Kuala Lumpur, featured in many local films and dramas, such as Adnan Sempit and Impak Maksima. This shows that it does not need any unnecessary development that could endanger the Malay heritage.
The government must consider preserving this authentic Malay village by declaring it a heritage village. This could be done by providing the villagers with the facilities to upgrade their traditional houses to become homestays, Airbnb lodgings and kampung-style accommodation for the tourists. This would be killing two birds with one stone as the villagers can still live in their ancestral homes and at the same time gain money from tourism.
Most foreigners love to experience the traditional Malay life and this can help with the economy as well. For example, Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman in Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur, is one of the last remaining Malay vernacular architectures.
This house, preserved by Badan Warisan Malaysia, has attracted tourists who want to experience Malay culture through architectural tours and Malay food tastings.
The spirit of the city can be seen through its architecture and the historical buildings can attract more travellers from all around the globe.
The eccentric personality of Malay architecture could also be portrayed through the neighbourhood of Kampung Baru.
If South Korea is famous for its Korean Folk Village that showcases Koreans’ traditional life experiences and Italy is famous for its Leaning Tower of Pisa, we can make Kuala Lumpur famous for our Kampung Baru, our national Malay heritage.
China attracted the most travellers in 2017, where most flocked to the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China; we could do it too by promoting our heritage sites such as Kampung Baru. According to the World Tourism Organisation, our country is among the most visited countries in Asia, therefore, we are not that far behind.
Kampung Baru has the potential to be as prominent as Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman, Sarawak Cultural Village and Kampung Morten. The only thing that is lacking is the effort from the government. The government must take prompt action to conserve Malay legacy by leaving Kampung Baru’s dwellers as they are, the ones who make Kampung Baru stand out until today.
SITI NUR AFIQAH MOHMD ROJALI
Rantau Panjang, Kelantan