97-year-old house a symbol of unity
KUALA LUMPUR: For Maljindar Singh Sidhu Brar, 42, the family home in Rawang, Selangor, is not just a special place but also a symbol of the unity of the local community then.
He remembers the time on Aug 31, 1983, when his father invited all the villagers to a birthday party for five family members who were born in August and September.
“Almost 200 neighbours came to our party, bringing traditional food as ‘potluck’ as well as gifts for us,” he said.
“That night, my father bought fireworks which at that time, could only be purchased by the rich, just to liven the mood and to celebrate Independence Day with the guests. It was really a happy occasion,” he said.
For Maljindar and his elder brother Ranjit Singh, 53, the double-storey bungalow house in Jalan Kuala Garing was truly a symbol of unity of the local community at that time.
Recalling memories of the 97year-old house owned by his late grandfather, Nika Singh, Ranjit said every afternoon, he, his two brothers and the neighbouring children would play outside the house and race to climb the coconut trees.
“We would try to out-run each other to climb the trees around the house, to see who could put up the Malaysia flag first,” Ranjit said.
“Our friends then were from different races and we were very close like family,” Ranjit, the eldest of six siblings, said.
Jimmy said the house, which is part wooden and part concrete, still stands strong today on a 2,787-square metres of land, untouched by termites.
Featuring a Sino-Malay-Palladian design, the house was built in 1920 by the British-owned tin mining company, Rawang Tin Fields (now known as Berjuntai Tin Dredging) and used as its office.
“Later, a British accountant who worked with the company lived in it and then sold it to our grandfather in 1959 for RM3,500,” Maljindar said.
However, the house may soon be a memory for Ranjit, Maljindar and their families, as it is scheduled to be demolished on Sept 20 after ownership of the land is given to two cement factories by the Selangor government.
“We hope that the Selangor government will stop the demolition or ask the National Heritage Department or Tenaga Nasional Berhad to retain this house as a heritage home,” he said.