Bbgs Making Way For Commercial Buildings Shows Lack Of Appreciation For Kl S Historical Landmarks

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A POST on Selangor Gazette’s Facebook page noted that the current Pavilion Bukit Bintang sits on the site which used to house one of the country’s oldest schools – Bukit Bintang Girls’ School (BBGS).
Previously known as the Chinese Girls’ School, BBGS was first located in Brickfields before its shift to Bukit Bintang in 1930. In 2000, BBGS was moved to Cheras to make way for the snazzy shopping complex.
Before Pavilion KL, Bukit Bintang Girls’ School (BBGS) opened in 1893 with Ms Betty Langlands teaching girls to read in Brickfields, KL. Formerly known as the Chinese Girls’ School, BBGS gained its name after moving to its premises on Bukit Bintang Road in 1930. (Description credit: Malaysia Shopping Mall/Facebook) 
Imagine going to school located right smack in the heart of the city centre next to popular shopping malls such as Lot 10 and Sungai Wang Plaza.

The post which has thus far elicited 4.3K likes, 675 comments and 635 shares obviously generated a whole wave of nostalgia – not just from its alumni but city dwellers who had fond memories of this landmark.
One commenter who studied at BBGS between 1973 to 1977 recounted that pupils weren’t allowed to the nearby shopping complexes dressed in uniform, lest they want to face the wrath of the school principal – Ms Cooke!
She also shared many fond memories including learning to swim which was a hugely enjoyable education journey.

The post, however, brought up a number of pertinent issues. The re-location – like in the case of the St Mary’s school in Jalan Ampang – was initially proposed to ease traffic congestion in an area that was already constantly gridlocked.
However, with the emergence of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur in the vicinity, “the road there is still congested, if not even worse”, attested another commenter.

This led to more than a few commenters opined that easing traffic woes was but a convenient excuse to grab a piece of prime terra firma.

Such re-development that placed commercial value above historical landmarks seemed to irk one commenter.
What if there are future plans to develop the site on which the MCKK (Malay College of Kuala Kangsar) occupies? This is the sad consequence when venerated education institutions make way for shopping malls.

This sentiment was echoed by a few commenters who complained of authorities that did NOT value historical artifacts.

At the very least replace these old and venerated schools with useful structures, argued one commenter.
He pointed out an example in Seremban where a convent school was demolished for a commercial centre which has since been abandoned. Three decades on and the site is now Seremban’s “deepest concrete lake”.

Don’t we already have enough shopping malls? One commenter pointed out that landmarks such as BBGS and the Pudu jail should have been preserved for the city’s heritage value.

One commenter sarcastically remarked that the erasing of KL landmarks was a “hobby for DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall)”.

Is this the price of progress?
Judging from the numerous comments, it would seem that it is progress that many would rather do without.
It is a sad indictment that the city’s unique heritage and character is being slowly but surely replaced with soulless retail entities. And it seems KL-ites are powerless to stop it. –  Focus Malaysia

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