By Aida Aziz
TAIPING: A nearly 140-year-old building, once the headquarters of the Perak State Railway Service, was destroyed in a fire yesterday.
It is understood that the fire occurred this morning, with many netizens sharing photos and videos of the blaze that engulfed the historic two-storey heritage building.
Sharing memories of the building, which was constructed in 1885, Secretary of the Perak Heritage Society, Nor Hisham Zulkiflee, said it was built directly opposite Taiping’s first railway station and aligned with the Rest House.
“This building is believed to have later been taken over by the Federated Malay States Railway, which later became Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM).
“It was subsequently used as the Taiping Sanitary Board office, now known as the Taiping Municipal Council, and by other government agencies before being left vacant.
“Given its history, it’s undeniable that this heritage building holds great importance to the town of Taiping, as it represents the early development of the country’s railway system and the Taiping municipality.
“It also possesses a unique colonial architectural style,” he told Ipoh Echo / Peraktastic when contacted.
Speaking about the fire incident, he stressed that immediate action must be taken by the relevant authorities to prevent further damage to this historic structure.
“Yes, urgent action is needed. A professional conservator should assess the extent of the damage.
“In addition, government representatives, NGOs, and the local community need to be involved in deciding whether the building should be restored or rebuilt,” he added.
For context, the building is located within the Core Heritage Zone of the Heritage Conservation Zone outlined in the Draft Special Area Plan for Taiping Heritage Town 2.0.
According to the plan, the building was slated for restoration and repurposing as a boutique hotel.
