Kota Kinabalu City Hall proposes rebuilding historic community landmark after fire

Malay Mail

21 hours ago

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 1 — Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) will propose to the state government that the historic Kota Kinabalu Community Hall be rebuilt rather than demolished, following a fire that destroyed much of the building earlier this week.
Mayor Datuk Seri Sabin Samitah confirmed that the blaze had gutted more than half of the iconic structure, particularly the wooden fittings and roof, and said the building would require significant reconstruction and refurbishment.
'The damage is more than 50 per cent, especially the roof, which collapsed, and also the walls — most of the fittings were made of wood and plywood. Those materials burned quickly. However, the concrete parts were not affected,' he said at the launch of the Jalur Gemilang 2025 campaign today.
Despite the extent of the damage, he said City Hall had no plans to demolish the building and instead hoped to preserve its original structure.
'Perhaps we will upgrade the landscape outside to make it more visually appealing. But preserving the original form is one of the options we will propose to the state government,' said Sabin.
He said a full investigation by the Fire and Rescue Services Department was underway to determine the cause of the blaze, which broke out late Sunday night and engulfed a large section of the hall.
'Once that is complete, we will present it to the Cabinet regarding the next steps to restore the hall, which can be considered a historic building for the state of Sabah,' he said.
The Kota Kinabalu Community Hall, a post-World War II landmark built in 1958, was nearly destroyed in the fire that started just after midnight three days ago. Initial reports estimated that around 80 per cent of the building was damaged.
Originally opened by then British North Borneo Governor Sir Roland Turnbull, the hall has long been considered a symbol of post-war reconstruction, after much of Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) was flattened during the Allied liberation of Sabah. Over the decades, it has served as a vital venue for civic and political events, cultural exhibitions, and even sporting matches.
Former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee has called for the community hall to be fully restored in its original design, stressing that only facilities like the toilets and café should be upgraded.
'It is a well-known community centre and has been the site of many momentous and historic events from the colonial era until today,' he said yesterday.
The hall was officially gazetted as a Cultural Heritage Conservation site under the Sabah Cultural Heritage Conservation Enactment 1997 and remains protected under that law.