Local artist’s painting to feature on corporate stamps
KOTA KINABALU: Local artist, Josrie Haral, won top honors in the Sketching Competition for his painting of the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) Building which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next March.
Josrie’s rendition of one of the city’s last remaining British colonial-era buildings won the first prize worth RM1,000 and will be featured on corporate stamps by Pos Malaysia to commemorate the centennial of the historic STB building, which was a former post office.
“It gives me great pleasure to extend my warmest congratulations for Josrie Haral for his breathtaking landmark in the heart of the city,” said STB Chairman, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai at the prize-presentation ceremony yesterday. He said Sabah Tourism was fortunate to have the heritage building as its headquarters, noting its address is also the official 0km of Kota Kinabalu, attesting to the building’s central location.
Joniston presented prizes to the other winners of the competition including Chong Jun Hao at 2nd place, winning RM800 and Mastini Asap who won RM500. Consolation prizes were also awarded to five other participants who each won RM100.
“The artworks of all top 8 award-winning sketches will be displayed for public viewing at the STB building for one month before being featured at the Sabah Art Gallery,” said Ar. Arnold Kwan Chee Hung, Chairman of the Malaysian Institute of Architects Sabah Chapter (PAM).
Among the committee of judges evaluating the artworks include Curator of Sabah Art Gallery Jennifer P. Linggi, Arnold, Joniston, and organizing chairman Ar Patrick Vun.
Earlier in his speech, Joniston expressed his appreciation to PAM for organizing the competition earlier this month which saw 36 participants consisting of artists and students joining to appreciate and observe the STB building – a priceless heritage of the city. Artists were given a period of one week to complete their sketches.
The competition was also held in conjunction with PAM’s annual Borneo Architecture Festival where many other activities were held around the city, including a “Kiosk Design Competition” at DBKK as well as the International Design Conference next week.
The STB building is one of the three buildings here gazetted for conservation and heritage. Located on Gaya Street, it survived the bombing by Allied Forces during the Second World War in Jesselton when much along the same street was destroyed. The other colonial-era buildings are the Atkinson Clock Tower, which still stands and the Lands and Surveys Department building (later converted to the Department of Social Welfare) but was destroyed in a fire in 1992. Only a few columns remain on the site in front of the Suria Sabah shopping mall.
The STB building underwent restoration in 1989 and it was officiated open on January 19, 1991, to house STB.
Source : New Sabah Times
