MP SPEAKS The demolishment of the late Syed Ahmad Jamal’s sculpture ‘Puncak Purnama’ by the authority is another shocking and sad episode in Malaysia. What more, Syed Ahmad Jamal is a well-known Seniman Negara recipient decorated by our own government. All art and heritage-loving citizens must be appalled by this shocking government move. It shows total lack of respect towards local artists and arrogance by the government.

As an architect, I feel the government has acted with total lack of sensitivity and respect for a work by its own government-decorated National Artist. We may disagree on matters involving aesthetics appreciation, but we must respect works by recognised artists on whom we ourselves bestowed awards and decorations.

Even if there really is a need to relocate the sculpture, it can technically be done. No public opinion poll was carried out and the family of the artist was not even informed out of respect. Our government always demands respect from its citizens, while it shows no sign of any onto its own people.

The government keeps telling the people that we are a rich country. However we are certainly very poor in artistic and moral appreciations. We are a nation perhaps well-endowed materialistically, but certainly a pauper in terms of moral and intellectual capacity as far as the government is concerned.

The young generation and the artist community must realise by now that we are becoming a nation without soul or sensitivity. We pride ourselves in being a rich nation, that is being continuously plundered, but sadly we are morally bankrupt of good values and sensitive appreciation.

We will remain so as long as our ministers continue to act arrogantly as if the people have no say in the day to day running of our nation and only they know what is best for us. May God have compassion and mercy on us as a Nation.

RAJA KAMARUL BAHRIN SHAH RAJA AHMAD, a trained architect, is Parti Amanah Negara's MP for Kuala Terengganu.