KERJA-KERJA KONSERVASI ISTANA CHE SEPACHENDERA OF ALOR STAR KEDAH DARUL AMAN.

This is Istana Che Sepachendera as it is today. The masonry and wood works needs attention and so too other compartments of the building. The staircases by the sides lead to the first floor and a mysterious staircase yet to be discovered or located take you to the second floor with an open veranda as seen. We are sure it will be a labor of love for the conservation and restoration works.

Jabatan Warisan Negara called for tender works on the conservation of six buildings in the country on 23 May 2008. Istana Che Sepachendera mentioned earlier in this blog is included. The others are:

a. Bangunan Capitol Jalan Bendahara Melaka

b. Bangunan Lama Mahkamah Tinggi Jalan Kota Melaka

c. Bangunan Lama Masjid Kg Belimbing Dalam Durian Tunggal Melaka

d. Bangunan Muzium Sultan Abu Bakar Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah Pekan Pahang

e. Bangunan Lama Masjid Mulong Kota Bharu Kelantan D.Naim

All contractors wanting to participate in the projects have to attend site visits arranged for the purpose of familiarizing with the subject as well as to receive briefings from the respective consultants and Jabatan Warisan Negara representative.

For Istana Che Sepachendera Alor Star the site visit took place June 6, 2008 at 10.30 am. It marked the execution of the restoration of a once beautiful palace no doubt built with tender love and appreciation for a dear wife. Istana Che Sepachendera built in 1882 took the name of the first wife of Sultan (Sir) Abdul Hamid Halim Shah ibni Al Marhum Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Mukaram Shah ( 4 June 1864 - 13 May 1943) who ruled from 1882 till 1943.

It will be at least two months later when all tender documents will be processed and the successful tenderer will be awarded and only then works will start. We look forward to the restoration and conservation of perhaps one of the earliest royal palaces in the state and fortunately still standing though not in its former splendour.

Anak Arshad Architect as the lead consultant assisted by the respective engineers and quantity surveyor will get down to the painstaking work once the successful contractor took possession of the project site.

Jabatan Warisan Negara representative and the Consultants briefed the contractors who have shown interest in tendering for the project.

Jabatan Warisan Negara thankfully is making a strong effort at keeping stock and reestablishing the much forgotten historic buildings throughout the country. Malacca and Penang by virtue of their sizes and inherent locations of historic buildings gained earlier footholds in the conservation direction. Apparently the two states have more buildings to be saved and conserved than the other states in the country. As in the above listing there are strong indicators that the department is now focusing beyond the two states. Kelantan , Pahang, Kelantan and Kedah and other states including Sabah and Sarawak have come to the fore forward in its program.

For reference you may click http://www.warisan.gov.my/ to know more about Jabatan Warisan Negara. It does also call for suggestions and comments from members of the public .

Pictures taken on 6 Jun 2008 on the occasion of the site visit coincidentally happened to be two days off the anniversary of Al Marhum's birthday. Maybe we have chosen a significant date to start the restoration and conservation exercise.

This is one teacher's quarters or a government building built by PWD prior to Merdeka 1957. The wooden staircase has been replaced and a wall built underneath the house. The house originally stood on stilts. The building is in the vicinity of the Istana.

A five minutes walk from Istana Che Sepachendera bring us to this imposing building - the Alor Star Tower where you would have a bird eye view of the palace and its surrounding plus the the river at the back. It is of course a far cry from its original scene 100 years ago where you would imagine sampan tied to poles by the river and horse carts on the road. The river itself would be a source of activities.. The small Malay Kampong by the Istana side perhaps reflected the communion between the Istana and the community.

Updates will follow when the works begin