BN MPs seek heritage status for P Ramlee’s house

MP Mohamad Aziz says DBKL's notice to seal the house is an insult to the legend's legacy.

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional MPs today urged the government to gazette the late P Ramlee’s house as a heritage site.

Expressing shock over reports that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) was planning to seal the house in Setapak, Sri Gading MP Mohamad Aziz said that would be an insult to the legendary entertainer’s legacy.

“Can’t we have some respect to a legend like P Ramlee?” Mohamad said. “P Ramlee supported our first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, in his heyday.”

Mohamad was speaking at a press conference attended by Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan, Arau MP Ismail Kasim and Hulu Selangor MP P Kamalanathan.

On Monday, Berita Harian reported that DBKL had demanded RM10,000 in outstanding quit rent from Ramlee’s daughter in law, Suria Bakar, giving her a week to pay up.

Suria lives in the house with her two children. Her husband, Nasir Ramlee, died four years ago,

“I was shocked and I had no intention of evading the quit rent,” Suria told the Malay daily. “It’s just that I’m financially constrained and I have two children studying in university to support.”

Suria is said to be unemployed and living on welfare.

Rahman said BN MPs had started a donation drive and had so far collected RM9,565.

“The Umno backbenchers club donated RM5,000 while the rest were collected from the BN MPs,” he said.

Ismail said people must remember how much Ramlee had contributed to nation building, especially in being a unifying figure to all Malaysians.

“And the messages the legend presented in his songs and movies are still useful to the current generation,” said Ismail.

Mohamad called upon any foundation or rich individual to acquire the house in order to turn it into a heritage site and help Ramlee’s family.

“Can’t companies like Petronas or tycoon Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary do this? If I was the mayor of DBKL, I would have turned the house into a heritage site a long time ago,” he said.