Penang House of Music received RM500,000 in annual grants, says exco

 

Penang House of Music founder Paul Augustin said payment issues led to a legal dispute with the premise owner at Komtar.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang House of Music (PHoM), which recently announced that it was closing, had received a state government grant of RM500,000 for three years, executive councillor for tourism and creative economy Wong Hon Wai said.

He said the state government regrets that the museum would now close because of financial constraints and ongoing “legal issues”.

PHoM was set up with an initial fund of RM3 million from the Penang Water Supply Corporation in 2016.

“It is regrettable that PHoM has to close shop due to financial predicaments and legal tussles,” Wong told FMT, saying an annual RM500,000 grant had been given to it since 2016.

PHoM’s founder Paul Augustin confirmed that they had received the RM500,000 grant annually, but only for three years, from 2020 to 2022.

“We are profoundly grateful for Penang’s support, although these grants were significantly delayed,” he told FMT.

Augustin said the rental for the 6,800 sq ft space at Komtar cost him RM17,045 a month.

He said the delay in funds caused payment disruptions, leading to a legal dispute over outstanding rent for their premises in Komtar.

FMT has contacted the chief minister’s office for comment.

PHoM was reliant on support from the Penang government for the seven years it was open, but faced financial constraints exacerbated by a decline in visitors, partly because of the movement restrictions from the Covid-19 lockdown.

Since its establishment in 2016, it had maintained a prominent presence, consistently ranked among TripAdvisor’s top 10 “must visit” spots, and recognised by CNN as one of Penang’s essential experiences.

The museum opened its doors in 2016 on the fourth floor of Komtar’s ICT Mall, offering a captivating exploration of the musical heritage of Penang and the country.

Displaying forgotten music genres like the “ronggeng” and “bangsawan,” alongside iconic tunes by Penang’s musical luminaries such as P Ramlee and Zainal Alam, PHoM stands as a vibrant tribute to the island’s rich musical legacy. - FMT