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Heritage in the News by Diana Cooper
14 July 2008

Pudu Jail

This landmark building at the corner of Jalan Hang Tuah and Jalan Pudu has been a dominant feature of Kuala Lumpur for 113 years. Construction of the prison began with the building of the outer walls in 1891. Ninety years later these walls entered the Guinness Book of Records with the completion of the art work on the exterior walls by prison inmates, making it the longest mural in the world. This further reinforced the Jail’s landmark status as one of the notable buildings of Kuala Lumpur.

Pudu Prison’s distinctive X shaped design was adapted from a Sri Lankan model by the State Engineer of the Public Works Department C.E. Spooner. Initially the three storey block had 240 cells to house 600 prisoners, additional cells were later added, so in the prison’s final days it could accommodate 2,000. The prison grounds also include an administration block, kitchens, a hospital and a mosque.

Photo of one of the Pudu Prison corridors taken by Diana Cooper

During its long history the Jail has been witness to many events and has hosted numerous notorious criminals. The Japanese utilised the prison during World War 11 to incarcerate many Allied Prisoners of War. In 1986 the Jail made international news when two doctors were taken hostage in the prison hospital.

In November 1996, after a century as serving as a prison, the remaining 1,200 inmates were transferred to a new prison facility, and Pudu Jail closed its doors. Six months later Pudu Jail reopened as a museum, managed by a private company that was allowed a six month lease. So for a short period the prison became a tourist attraction. The public was offered the opportunity to visit the "Pudu Jail Exhibition, and discover the macabre gallows and the mysterious secrets of Pudu jail."

Grafitti by prisoners during their incarceration reveal their concerns about figures of authority and spiritual matters Another grafitti by prisioners

When the prison closed down in 1996 it was taken over by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) with the intention of developing the land once the museum closed. Since 2005 the Jail has operated as a temporary detention centre.

According to the Draft KL City Plan 2020 the prison site has been earmarked for development. Previous plans for the site have included a proposal for a mixed commercial and residential development, which included a 33 storey office block, a shopping complex, a 43 storey hotel and a 44 storey serviced apartment tower.

Reaction to the proposed development of the prison has been swift. War veterans are incensed that the building could be demolished and be totally erased from the cityscape of Kuala Lumpur.

It raises the important and urgent question of how should Pudu Jail be remembered and what should its legacy be?

 


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