24/05/2026

NATIONAL 6 theSun on Sunday MAY 24, 2026

Immortalising soul of demolished building

LANGKAWI: Piles of timber, aged beams and construction debris left behind at the site of the old Kuah Hospital and Clinic may appear worthless to some, but to young architect Muhammad Ismail Rahim, they carry stories waiting to be told. Through his installation artwork titled “Nafas Tanah” (Breath of the Earth), the 34 year-old artist breathes new life into the physical remnants of the old building, transforming them into a medium that revives memories and reconnects the community with a space slowly disappearing from Langkawi’s landscape. Muhammad Ismail, from Kemaman in Terengganu, said witnessing the demolition of the old hospital firsthand left a deep emotional impact on him and prompted him to salvage pieces of the structure. “I often talk about how we frequently demolish old buildings with historical value, but when it happened right before my eyes, I felt compelled to do something. “The most immediate thing I could do at the moment was to gather as much material as possible, such as wood, stones

Architect-artist turns fragments of old hospital into exhibition display as tribute to Langkawi landscape

experience the uniqueness of Terengganu’s culture and way of life. Among them are kite competitions featuring various states, gamelan performances, rubber seed and betel nut spinning top game, batik -making demonstrations, mengkuang weaving, wood carving and Laksa Terengganu cooking demonstrations. “This programme also supports the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign while promoting Visit Terengganu 2027. “Next year, we will increase the number of activities to attract more visitors, especially from abroad,” he said. – Berrnama assistance from local craftsmen. “For me, this artwork serves as a bridge before something disappears completely and before it transforms into something new. It is like a temporary monument marking that phase of loss.” The father of two added that the installation also functions as a “memory holder” for a place that is no longer part of Langkawi’s physical landscape. Even after the exhibition ends, the structure will be repurposed as a resting platform and handed to the Langkawi Senior Citizens Activity Centre for community use. “If these materials had not been collected, everything would simply have vanished without a trace,” he said.

“In the Terengganu dialect, ‘Musing Ketang’ means walking back and forth within an area. Musing Ketang @ Kampung Budaya Terengganu refers to strolling or moving around the event site. “We are targeting 10,000 visitors for the three-day programme,” he said after officiating at the programme launch on Friday. The opening ceremony was officiated by State Tourism, Culture, Environment and Climate Change Committee deputy chairman Sulaiman Sulong. Tengku Mohd Ariffin said 20 recreational and cultural activities have been lined up for visitors to longer in use. But throughout my time in Langkawi, the demolition continued gradually. “When I returned in February, the entire site had already been flattened. I managed to collect some of the wood and materials that could still be salvaged. The challenge was figuring out how to give them a new meaning.” Muhammad Ismail said he initially planned to build a wakaf (traditional resting platform) for public use, but various site limitations eventually led the idea to evolve into a temporary installation instead. He said the artwork required him to reorganise and reconstruct the uneven pieces of reclaimed timber, and took about five days to complete with

holds a Master’s degree in Architecture from Universiti Teknologi Mara Puncak Alam, said his background as an architect strongly influences the way he interprets spaces and structures. To him, the old Kuah Hospital and Clinic was far more than an abandoned building. It embodied layers of memory, history and long-standing community connections.

and construction materials, before everything disappeared,” he told Bernama recently. Nafas Tanah is being showcased as part of the 29th edition of Bakat Muda Sezaman (BMS29) exhibition, organised by the National Art Gallery, which runs until July 26 at several locations around Langkawi, including Pantai Taman Lagenda, Pulau Tuba Jetty, an abandoned building near the Kuah night market site and the Teluk Kedak Lake Recreational Park. Muhammad Ismail, who

“When I attended the BMS29 workshop in November last year, the building was still standing, although it was no Terengganu cultural event draws international visitors

KUALA TERENGGANU: The uniqueness of the Musing Ketang programme organised by the Terengganu Tourism Department in collaboration with Terengganu Cultural Village has drawn the interest of international tourists. Department director Datuk Tengku Mohd Ariffin Tengku A. Rahman said the programme, now in its third year, was attended by tourists from around the world, including the United States, Singapore, South Korea and several European countries. He said among the highlights of the programme were shadow puppet performances, top-spinning competitions and children’s top-spinning event.

Tengku Mohd Ariffin (with songkok) said the event has attracted tourists from around the world, including the United States, Singapore, South Korea and several European countries. – PIC FROM JABATAN PELANCONGAN NEGERI TERENGGANU FACEBOOK PAGE

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