The Malaysian Bar calls for a feasibility study to reinstate the historic Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad as a functioning court, highlighting its unique legal heritage and symbolic value.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar has called for the historic Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad to be reinstated as a functioning court.
In a statement, its president Datuk Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab said the iconic building possesses an irreplaceable legal legacy.
It once accommodated the nation’s highest courts and was central to the development of Malaysia’s appellate jurisprudence.
“For members of the Judiciary and the legal profession who served there, the building represents more than heritage architecture,” the statement read.
“It is where appellate practice matured, where foundational judgments were handed down, and where many lawyers built their careers.”
Built between 1894 and 1897, the building first housed the British colonial administration.
It later became home to the Supreme Court, now the Federal Court, from around 1984 before the court moved to Putrajaya in 2003.
The Bar argued that restoring courts to the building would anchor the justice system within a national landmark.
It would also ensure the heritage building retains an active function rather than becoming a static monument.
The statement cited international precedents like Hong Kong’s former Supreme Court, which now houses the Court of Final Appeal.
This demonstrates heritage, symbolism and modern function can be balanced without compromising security or efficiency.
The Bar is urging authorities to commission a thorough feasibility review.
This study should cover structural integrity, security, accessibility, heritage conservation and long-term upkeep.
“Reinstating the Judiciary at Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad would not be an exercise in nostalgia,” the statement concluded.
“It would acknowledge the continuity of our legal institutions, the dignity of the courts and the history that underpins Malaysia’s constitutional development.”
