Forgotten buildings whisper of Perak's past

The Star

18-07-2025

IPOH: Scattered across Perak, particularly in Ipoh, are hundreds of abandoned and forgotten buildings that tell quiet stories of a once-thriving past.
Now overgrown with vines or crumbling facades, these structures have become unexpected magnets for photographs, film producers and history buffs.
ALSO READ: Idle buildings, active threats
Citing a few examples, the Perak Heritage Society deputy president Prof Richard Ng said in Ipoh itself, many pre-war shophouses, particularly in the old town area, are abandoned.
Prof Ng, who is also the president of the non-governmental organisation Ipoh City Watch, said these structures are located, among others, along Jalan Sultan Iskandar, Jalan Datoh, Jalan Sultan Abdul Jalil, and Jalan Panglima Kinta.
'Among them is the former clinic of Dr Wu Lien-Teh on Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, a pioneer of modern medicine, who also invented the face mask.
'Then in Buntong, the Sungai Pari Towers, a public housing scheme built in 1963, a 15-storey tower, and 11 four-storey blocks have been left vacant in stages since 2012 due to structural concerns.
'The area has become synonymous with safety risks, open manholes, and drug activity.
'Nearby, Waller Court, another 1960s-era public housing scheme, is suffering a similar fate, although some people are still residing there,' he said in an interview.
Prof Ng was the main resear­cher involved in developing Ipoh's Cantonese Heritage Trail (both at the old town and the new parts of the city), and his book titled Paloh: Founded by Hakka, Made Vibrant by the Cantonese launched in 2023.
He said that these buildings across the state, particularly in Ipoh, Batu Gajah, Kampar, Papan, and Kampung Kepayang, lost their economic backbone in the post-tin-mining era, leaving homes, shops, and even grand mansions empty.
Many such buildings, Prof Ng said, were inherited by descendants who moved to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and overseas, leaving no one to maintain the place, and in some cases, the buildings end up in legal limbo.
'The state government should create a digital registry, legal reform, provide incentives for restoration, have public-private partnerships to redevelop such places, activate a heritage restoration fund, as well as create an urban redevelopment authority for Ipoh.
'Programmes such as adopting a building by schools or NGOs, murals, light shows, weekend flea markets, and using events like the Ipoh International Festival to spotlight restored spaces, as well as enforce basic safety and maintenance laws, are required,' he said.
'Such abandoned buildings can also be repurposed for low-cost rentals for the B40 families, community kitchens, learning hubs or libraries.'
A notable example of a successful endeavour by the Ipoh City Council (MBI) is the demolition of Ipoh's famous 'Bazar Bulat' and its transformation into the Octagon building through private funding initiatives.
He said that along Jalan Masjid, the old buildings have been turned into funeral parlours, with the Ruby and Cathay cinemas now transformed into restaurants.
State housing and local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching said the state is exploring a more systematic approach to handling matters related to abandoned buildings.
She said they have been improving the monitoring of high-risk sites, encouraging redevelopment where possible, and working through partnerships with private players when public funds are insufficient.
'Besides that, the state is looking at better policies, legal action or land acquisition to deal with old buildings, especially where ownership issues make action difficult,' she said.
'With Visit Malaysia 2026, such ideas need to be turned into action, not just to make things look good for tourists, but it is about restoring dignity to urban centres, making cities safer and more liveable.'
Ng said when it came to old buildings, especially those from the pre-war era, the challenges were even greater.
She said in many cases, there are multiple owners, complicated inheritance issues or 'missing' landlords.
Citing an example, Ng said Waller Court is one of the clearest examples of ageing public housing that is no longer fit for purpose.
She said the 17-block low-rise building with 518 units from the 1960s has steadily deteriorated.
'More than half of the units are now vacant, and many of the occupied ones are in poor condition.
'While MBI has tried to maintain the flats, it would cost nearly RM7mil a year just to keep it running, an amount that still would not bring the living conditions up to an acceptable standard.
'MBI has reached the point where maintenance alone is not enough, and redevelopment is required,' she said.
Ng said a joint redevelopment plan with the private sector is being explored as the project is expected to cost over RM56mil.
'Waller Court is not the only case. There are many more public and private buildings across the state becoming underused or abandoned.
Ng said that when these buildings are in the heart of the town, it would undoubtedly affect how people feel about their environment.
'So Waller Court is a reminder why we cannot wait until buildings fall apart before we act, as the longer we wait, the more costly it gets to fix the issue.
'I believe if we plan, work across agencies and involve the community, we can turn these ageing sites into new opportunities for the city and its people,' she said.