 The records show that the Komplex Tun Abdul Razak’s (Komtar) tower at its completion in 1985 was the tallest building in Asia — and Malaysia of course. What this often quoted statistic fails to reveal is how cutting edge its concept and design was (and still is). Never before had such a massive urban regeneration project of this type been undertaken in Malaysia, which placed social and administrative benefits at the heart of its planning.
Komtar’s looming physical presence is a reminder of Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu’s vision for Penang, yet the background to its construction provides a more revealing insight into a time when Penang’s “can-do” spirit led the way. Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat, the principal architect and director of the Komtar development consortium, explains.
Interview by Rosalind Chua
LAYING the groundwork for Komtar “Architects Team 3 was already invited by the City Council of George Town to advise on a hawker centre in the Prangin Road area in the early 1960s. From then it was obvious that Penang was in a state of decline and what it needed was urban renewal planning.
The interesting challenge came as a result of the Robert Nathan report which was initiated before Chong Eu became Chief Minister but was completed during his period and he saw the importance of economic development. Although the Nathan report did not include any physical plans, it alluded to the need for urban renewal.
Arising from discussions with the City Hall and Penang Development Corporation (PDC) it was felt that the urban renewal project could be carried out by a local consultancy. Architects Team 3 was one of two firms in Malaysia that had the expertise not only in town planning and architecture, but also urban design.
Rather than just being another external consultant, we recommended the formation of what was known as the Central Area Planning Unit (CAPU) – an integration of our input and staff from the city and the state. Although Team 3 carried the major thrust, we were able to bring into the group other experts including social researchers from USM and a traffic consultant, so this was a fairly total planning package; this was done at a time prior to Malaysia adopting the Town and Country Act. That was promulgated only in 1976.”
Komtar — the concept
“Komtar was meant to be a reactor, it was to be a true city centre, a city within a city that had an overall plan (over five phases). We were trained in that whole milieu where there were more heroic approaches to planning, and it was believed that planning should be done by public authorities for the public good rather than for speculative building gains.
Komtar was to be an administrative centre for the three levels of government from which the officers could integrate and serve the public better. The height of the tower would enable the government officers to look out over their problems. They would see the slums, the derelict buildings, the traffic mess; hopefully they would see the vision of the future.”
Doing the right things right
“It was considered unusual at the time for a state government to create a major project as against the normal scenario of private developers benefiting from such a development.
This is a building ahead of its time. I did tell the civil servants that ‘if you don’t learn how to drive this vehicle, you may drive it into the drain!’ Part of the concept was to make it ‘refurbishable’ and we used economic materials and so on.
As far as Komtar is concerned Chong Eu saw that it was his responsibility to make sure that the appointed consultants were competent and of the national and international standing necessary to undertake it. The original documents show that the project was not just about urban development but heritage conservation and the revitalisation of George Town, of the real residual people of the city.”
The CM, PM and the Tunku
“The name Komtar, Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak was something I’m sure Chong Eu thought about, arising out of his close relationship with the then Prime Minister, who actually gave his full-hearted support to the project. From receiving our report, federal representatives (including Bank Negara governor Tun Ismail Mohamed Ali) commented that the Komtar project had great social and administrative benefits.
I think Chong Eu derived some satisfaction from the completion of the (geodesic) dome, and again when he had the inspiration to name it after Tunku Abdul Rahman; it was an interesting reconnection. He had had political differences with Tunku, but he was without rancour. In his political dealings with party members, he would act without public rancour although he may have voiced his frustrations behind the scenes. This was how he had very special relationships with Tunku, Razak and many other politicians including Abdullah Badawi and Anwar Ibrahim. He was a politician above personal antagonisms.”
The realist
“He (Chong Eu) did not interfere and he did not take the credit for the design of Komtar because he felt that professionals should stand by their work. But he was a realist in terms of the utilisation of the tower. For example, we wanted the Chief Minister’s office to occupy the suite at the very top, but from an economic point of view he chose an office right down below and rented out the top. (Till today the Chief Minister’s office is located at the Tower’s 28th floor.)
Chong Eu was a realist in terms of what the PDC could do with its limited funds. During his administration there were many things he felt the state could not afford to do, yet he focused on the industrialisation of the state. That was his metier.” ** Republished with permission. This article first appeared in the January 2011 issue of the Penang Economic Monthly. Rosalind Chua is Deputy Editor of the magazine.
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