By: Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH – As a resident of Ipoh City, it is disheartening and disappointing to observe several popular areas not being well-maintained every day.
Ipoh is renowned for its historical buildings from the British colonial era.
The awareness of some NGOs in preserving these old structures by creating murals is indeed a contribution to the state government.
However, these murals do not last long. The longest they endure is about three years; after that, they deteriorate due to weather factors.
Recently, Ipoh Echo/Peraktastic surveyed one row of old buildings on Jalan Sheikh Adam, adjacent to Jalan Tun Sambanthan.
Previously, the walls of this alleyway were a tourist attraction, especially for photography enthusiasts to capture memories with mural paintings.
This area was appealing due to its spaciousness, allowing tourists to take pictures against the backdrop of large murals.
Unfortunately, the murals have been eroded for quite some time, and all that remains are vandalized paintings and graffiti from spray paint.
Furthermore, this area has become a dumping ground for trash.
Regrettably, during my visit, I stumbled upon discarded kerosene lamps.
Such littering poses a danger to pedestrians in this area. The MBI (Ipoh City Council) should install CCTV cameras and take strict action.
The state government should also be attentive to old buildings, especially deteriorated walls that make it challenging to create new mural paintings.
Allocate some funds to repair damaged building walls to facilitate NGOs in restoring murals.
Jalan Tun Sambanthan is the main route for tourists to enjoy the beauty and uniqueness of the city of Ipoh, especially being adjacent to Ipoh Padang, a popular gathering place.
Once again, I hope the responsible authorities will personally inspect this issue. Do not crush the hopes of tourists who wish to see mural art, only to be met with damaged walls, acts of vandalism, and illegal garbage dumping!
