Jafry (second right), accompanied by Jared (third right), admires the artworks painted on the pillars.
KOTA KINABALU: The state capital has a new tourist attraction – Pillars of Sabah 3.0 – originally the Colonial Lands and Survey Building which was burned down in 1992.
Now the 30 pillars on the site have been transformed into art pieces, thanks to the community arts project founded by Jared Abdul Rahman and Red Hongyi.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin expressed his appreciation to the artists for their work and creating a new tourism product in Kota Kinabalu.
He recalled the original building was built around 1918 and 1920 and served as the Colonial Lands and Survey Building until it was burned down in late December 1992.
“Without any restoration or development work since the fire, this site has become an eyesore, utilized by drug addicts and junkies.”
In recent years, he said the site gradually became an informal gallery for street art which attracted local and international tourists.
Jafry commended the artists for cleaning up the site and making art more accessible to the general public.
“I welcome the public to visit the Pillars of Sabah and appreciate the work of our local artists, some of whom have come afar to paint.
“Some of the pillars document the Covid-19 issue in art form.
“We have an abundance of local artistic talents,” he said when launching the Pillars of Sabah 3.0 here today.
He hoped that the community art project would continue to promote and support local artists and the identity of Sabah art.
Moving forward, Jafry said his ministry would promote art pieces created by Sabahans to international exhibitions.
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