PM Anwar says technological advancement must align with preserving national identity and heritage, citing Seri Negara restoration as a model
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has emphasised that mastering new technologies for national progress must be balanced with efforts to strengthen national identity and cultural heritage.
He said the restoration of the Seri Negara heritage building was not just a conservation project but an initiative to reaffirm the meaning of independence for younger generations.
Anwar stated the building, once a symbol of colonial grandeur, must now serve as an inclusive asset for all Malaysians.
“These edifices becoming preferred spaces for the ruling elite is not wrong, but ordinary citizens must not be prevented from enjoying the same facilities,” he said at the Seri Negara Conservation completion ceremony.
He added that Seri Negara should reflect the nation’s narratives, history, and culture in line with the MADANI principle of inclusivity.
Anwar said the project proves high-investment development can proceed without sacrificing historical and architectural values.
He proposed this approach as a model for other heritage conservation projects nationwide through multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Such efforts are vital to prevent cities from becoming “culturally barren” and to create sustainable, people-centred environments, he noted.
The government has introduced the Kuala Lumpur Heritage Project (Warisan KL) to conserve historic assets as economic drivers.
Under the Warisan KL initiative, Khazanah has been entrusted with conserving eight heritage and historic buildings, including the Bukit Carcosa properties of Seri Negara and Carcosa, as well as the construction of a new bridge linking Carcosa, Seri Negara and the Perdana Botanical Gardens here.
Warisan KL is projected to generate RM7.85 billion by 2035, focusing on key sites like Dataran Merdeka and Seri Negara.
Under Budget 2026, Khazanah Nasional has allocated RM600 million for the restoration of Seri Negara.
The building was constructed in 1896 and served as the official residence of the first British Resident-General of the Federated Malay States Sir Frank Swettenham. – Bernama
