Assalammualaikum, hi.. Today is the last day for PUDU Jail.. Its a part of Kuala Lumpur’s landscape.. =(

Some re-flash back about PUDU Prison

The Pudu Prison was built in 1895 as a prison in Malaysia near the centre of Kuala Lumpur. It was used to house criminals including drug offenders and was a location for administering corporal punishment by rotan caning. The canings were administered in a special “caning area”, so marked, not inside the building but in the grounds. It is no longer used as a prison and while it was once open as a museum, it is currently a police station and can be viewed only from the outside. (A clear view is obtained from the monorail train between Imbi and Hang Tuah stations.) Currently, it serves as a day-holding facility for prisoners attending court hearings. It is proposed to build a low security prison on the site for drug abusers in the future.

History

After the fall of Singapore, during World war II, the Japanese occupation forces incarcerated many English, Australian and New Zealand prisoners there.

1986 saw the execution of Kevin Barlow and Brian Chambers, both Australian nationals, at Pudu for the drug trafficking of heroin. More recently, the prison was closed for several years. It was reopened in 1997/98 as a museum and again for a short time in early 2004.

The cells were small and dark, each equipped with a window only the size of a shoebox. The prison also features murals painted on the walls circling the compound, depicting scenes of nature. These murals were painted by the prisoners, who used over 2,000 litres of paint to accomplish the task.

Eight supporters of the Hindu Rights Action Force were arrested and incarcerated in Pudu Prison following the 2007 HINDRAF rally. They were later released due to lack of evidence.

There are rumours that Pudu Prison is haunted. There have been reports of a strange Indian man walking the halls of the prison and disappearing around the corner. Supposedly, screams have been heard from rooms where hangings have taken place, and there are certain areas of the prison that are far colder than others. Russell Lee, the author of the book series True Singapore Ghost Stories included a story of a prisoner in Pudu Prison in one of his books. The prisoner reported hearing screaming from the rotan caning area, and he also heard the story that one prisoner committed suicide in order to avoid being caned. Supposedly his ghost stops the last stroke of the cane being given, and the prisoner personally reported this experience happening to him. According to several websites, the reason that Pudu Prison is being turned back into a prison for low-security prisoners is because no-one would buy it as for commercial property because of the hauntings.

Now…..

KUALA LUMPUR (June 21, 2010): The 115-year old Pudu Prison will not be turned a heritage site, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin told Fong Kui Lun (DAP-Bukit Bintang) in the Dewan Rakyat today.

“The government is of the opinion that it is not something we can be proud of. There are many other things we can be proud of compared to a jail. And so, there is no plan for a museum,” he said in response to a supplementary question from Fong on whether part of the front wall of the infamous prison would be preserved.

Fong said he was disappointed that the building was being demolished as it would mean the longest painted wall recorded in the Guinness Book of Records would also be torn down. He also asked whether a museum would be built at the original site.

The Pudu Prison, formerly known as Pudu Gaol located in Jalan Hang Tuah, was first built in stages in 1891 on a 10-hectare site and was completed in 1895.

It was officially closed in 1996 when construction of the new prison in Sungai Buloh was completed.

The Pudu Prison wall stretching about 300 metres will be demolished at 10pm tonight to enable widening of the road and the Jalan Pudu underground passage construction.

Earlier, replying to his original question, Awang Adek said UDA Holdings Bhd (UDA) will begin a mix development at the site comprising a transit centre, serviced apartments, office spaces, recreation centres, hotel and commercial space.

“The development is divided into six plots which will be carried out in stages over about 10 years beginning from the first quarter of 2011,” he said.

“In terms of distribution of lots, 40% would be residential properties while the rest would be for commercial covering offices, businesses and hotel.”

He said a large proportion of the commercial lots will be owned by UDA and rented out.

To another supplementary question by Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (PAS-Kuala Selangor), Awang Adek said the government had taken into account current market positions and projections for the next 10 years.

“That’s why the development will be in stages, not just RM5 billion at one go, and it is a mixed development. So, its impact on the property market would not be a burden,” he said.

Later, at the parliament lobby, Fong said he would prepare a petition and collect signatures from the public to support a proposal to retain the wall and send it to the Kuala Lumpur mayor as soon as possible. — theSun

Source from wikipedia.com and the sun

Some picture from me to share with you all. =(

Media and people at in front of PUDU PRISON entrance door

mohdzaid.com

alice

My office at Jalan Imbi, every day i will cross PUDU PRISON. Im so proud that Malaysia still have Historic place in the middle of Kuala Lumpur.. But now?? hrmm..

xoxo,