Revelation of Jalan Sultan – Gan Sze Hooi

After graduating from Kuala Lumpur Central Academy of Art, I entered a period in life where I strived hard to fulfill my material needs. From buying a car to a house and finally getting married and starting a family, it was an incessant process. I was indifferent to things or events around me and was apathetic about politics. In 2011, I came to know that some parts of Petaling Street would be demolished to make way for developments. Only then did I take time to ponder on this century-old community which I grew up with. According to the blueprint made public by DBKL, the future of Kuala Lumpur belongs to modern skyscrapers. Heritage sites in the old communities within the city will vanish completely in time. The City Hall plans to turn the prewar shophouses along Jalan Sultan into some 10- to 12-stortey buildings. UDA Holdings Bhd has also revealed that two MRT tunnels will be built 28m to 30m beneath Petaling Street and Jalan Sultan. Apart from the width of each tunnel, a buffer zone of approximately 20m will be built beside and between the two tunnels. As the roads are narrow, land acquisition is unavoidable. A total of 34 shophouses have been affected by the development. Most of these buildings are historical and cultural landmarks of Kuala Lumpur, some of which have been passed down to fourth- and fifth-generation owners.

This has spawned various movements to preserve heritage sites in the city. Owners of the affected units in Jalan Sultan and Petaling Street also formed an action committee to object the land acquisition by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd. The movement was joined by people of all races and walks of life. One of the movements was Petaling Street Community Art Project (PSCAP), which I was a member. I came to know a lot of people and learn new things. The project deepened my concern for society. However, since the 13th General Election on 5 May 2013 until today, one by one the heritage sites have been acquired or demolished. With the impending destruction, I have been thinking about what more can be done. After long deliberation, I decided to organize an art exhibition and dedicate it to friends who had made sacrifices for Jalan Sultan with the hope that they will remain steadfast in protecting heritage sites that might suffer the same fate as Jalan Sultan.

The theme of this art exhibition, ‘The Revelation of Jalan Sultan’, was first coined by PSCAP director Yeoh Lian Heng. It aims at using art space to chronicle the Jalan Sultan controversy, revealing how heritage sites are made to face destruction in the name of development. However, the name was not used for the art gallery which is now known as ‘Petaling Street Community Art Space’. Nevertheless, the theme left a deep impression on me and I have remembered it ever since. It has become my reminder for self-reflection and contemplation. Later, it has also widened my perspective and inspired me. Therefore, I decided to present my experience through art and name the exhibition as ‘The Revelation of Jalan Sultan’.

Revelation is also the final book of the New Testament written by John the Apostle on the island of Patmos. It is an apocalyptic document warning about the end of the world and catastrophes that precede it. In line with the theme of the Book of Revelation, ‘The Revelation of Jalan Sultan’ aspires to serve as a reminder and admonition about immanent destruction of other heritage sites in Kuala Lumpur.