Penang House of Music (PHoM) founder Paul Augustin said he has been overwhelmed by the response he has received ever since he announced its impending closure.
He told Malaysiakini that Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil had called him yesterday to see what could be done.
“Fahmi called me and spoke to me about our situation. He said he would look into it. I don’t know what will happen next.
“Overall I am very touched and overwhelmed that people from all walks of life have expressed concern and are trying to do something.
“Musicians are the storytellers of our lives and if we don’t preserve their stories and their artefacts, they will be gone one day,” said Augustin.
He cited the passing of Gregory Tan, a Penang-based musician who served as a consultant to American guitar-making giant Gibson, while also registering his inventions and designs with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Augustin also said he was recently asked to house the drum kit of the late maestro Lewis Pragasam.
He added his belief that a country must have an arts and cultural heritage to have a soul.
Malaysiakini is attempting to contact Fahmi’s office for more details about his intervention.
Covid-19’s financial impact
The PHoM operated from level 4 at Penang’s famed Komtar tower, opening on Nov 21, 2016, and reportedly received an average of 10,000 foreign and local visitors annually.
The project was initially awarded a grant of RM3 million over three years through the state government and the Penang Water Supply Corporation.
In a Facebook post announcing the closure, PHoM cited financial struggles and lack of institutional support as the reason.
It is also not clear exactly when its last day of operations will be, or what will happen to the items currently being exhibited.
Responding to news of the closure, Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid said it marks a profound loss to the music community and represents the end of an era for a national treasure that played a pivotal role in showcasing Penang’s unique and vibrant musical heritage.
“The closure signifies not just the loss of a space dedicated to the appreciation and understanding of music, but also a gap in the collective effort to keep Penang’s diverse cultural history alive and accessible for future generations,” she said.
Penang Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy Wong Hon Wai also expressed regret over the impending closure and told Malaysiakini that the interactive music gallery and the museum was likely impacted financially during the pandemic and was also embroiled in legal action.
“The is an ongoing court dispute between the chief tenant and sub-tenant.
“The state has been giving an annual grant to PHoM since 2016.
“It is believed that PHoM ran into financial difficulties during the Covid-19 period,” said Wong. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.