Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Home In Penang Is Up For Sale But NGO Says It Should Be A Heritage Building

By Ammar Haziq  •  18 Mar 2021 in News

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The former home of Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj in Pulau Tikus, Penang is up for sale at RM62 million. The listing on Edgeprop.my also shows the property can be rented at RM25,000 a month.

The detached double storey heritage mansion is well-preserved and sits on 0.6 hectares of land fronting Jalan Park and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman.

The mansion has six bedrooms as well as an annexed servants’ headquarters that is surrounded by lush greeneries. It was listed as refurbished and renovated on various property listing websites including PropertyGuru.

Tunku Abdul Rahman, a Kedah prince lived in the mansion after his retirement up until his death in 1990. The property was sold by the family after Tunku’s death and was bought by a private company more than a decade ago. The current owner is said to have been looking into selling the property for the past three years.

Instead of being sold, Penang Malay Association (Pemenang) said Tunku’s historical former home should be listed as a heritage building, according to The Star.

“There is so much history and invaluable treasure in that house that the Tunku named ‘Rumah Takdir’, where he lived his private life for about 40 years,” said its president Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff.

He said the house had witnessed many meetings and assemblies, and hosted many world leaders who visited Tunku. The house was then gifted to one of his daughters.

Mohd Yusoff said the mansion should be converted into a gallery dedicated to Tunku Abdul Rahman considering that it was a big part of history and Tunku’s life.

“I have forwarded the message to Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Rais Yatim and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nacy Syukri, and I hope they can bring it forward,” he said.

Heritage activist Khoo Salma Nasution said Penang Island City Council (MBPP) had the power to protect the mansion should the current owner decide to develop the house. Under the Penang Heritage Enactment 2011, she said the local council had the right to gazette the house as a heritage building.

Khoo Salma, who is also Penang Heritage Trust vice-president, said although the mansion is not listed within Unesco World Heritage Site, the local council has the authority to use the Enactment.

A spokesman from the MBPP Heritage Conservation Department said the current owner has the responsibility to conserve the mansion and that the MBPP can assist the owner with the process.