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The Malaysian Bar has urged the government to restore judicial functions to the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur, saying such a move would strengthen the dignity and civic symbolism of Malaysia’s justice system.
According to Malay Mail, Malaysian Bar President Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab emphasised that the presence of courts should reflect both “dignity and permanence”, and that situating them within a building deeply rooted in the national consciousness would reinforce that symbolism.
The historic landmark once housed the nation’s highest courts, including the Federal Court, Court of Appeal and High Court, for nearly two decades before the judicial branch relocated to Putrajaya and other modern complexes in the early 2000s. Many legal practitioners still regard its corridors and former courtrooms as integral parts of Malaysia’s legal heritage.
“The reinstatement of courts in this heritage site would reconnect the justice system with a place that once stood at the physical and symbolic centre of the nation’s legal world,” the Bar said.
It has called on the government to conduct a feasibility study to assess the practicalities of returning judicial functions to the building, arguing that doing so would acknowledge the continuity of Malaysia’s constitutional institutions and the history that underpins them.
The Sultan Abdul Samad building had been undergoing renovations for months, but just last week, the final stages have been completed and it will be reopening on 31 January in conjunction with Federal Day on 1 February 2026.
@bsas.kl Orang kata, legenda tidak akan hilang, ia hanya menanti masa untuk kembali bersinar. Kubah bersalut tembaga kini berkilau lebih terang, menara jam mula menghitung detik yang dinanti-nanti. Setelah sekian lama menyepi, nadi Kuala Lumpur ini akhirnya kembali. Bersediakah anda untuk melihat keindahan di sebalik gerbang ini? Ikuti kami untuk pengumuman tarikh pembukaan rasmi mercu tanda ini dan jumpa anda tidak lama lagi! — They say legends never fade, they just rise again. The copper domes are shining a little brighter and the clock is ticking toward something big. We’ve been quiet for a while, but the heart of KL is officially getting its second wind. Are you ready to see what’s behind the arches? Stay tuned as we announce the official opening date of this historic landmark. See you soon! #BangunanSultanAbdulSamad #BSAS #AdvancingMalaysia #HeritageReborn ♬ original sound – BSAS KL – Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad
A storied landmark in Malaysia’s legal and national history
The Sultan Abdul Samad Building stands proudly along Jalan Raja, overlooking Dataran Merdeka and the Royal Selangor Club in Kuala Lumpur. Constructed between 1894 and 1897 during British colonial rule, it originally functioned as the administrative offices for the colonial government and was simply known as the “Government Offices”.
Designed by British architects Arthur Charles Alfred Norman, Regent Alfred John Bidwell and Arthur Benison Hubback, the building showcases an elegant Indo-Saracenic / Neo-Mughal architectural style marked by scalloped arches, striped brickwork, gleaming copper domes and a 41-metre clock tower that remains one of Kuala Lumpur’s most recognisable features.
In 1974, the building was renamed in honour of Sultan Abdul Samad, the reigning Sultan of Selangor at the time construction first began. Over time, it served various government functions, including housing Malaysia’s superior courts until their move to newly built complexes in 2003 and 2007.
Beyond its administrative and judicial roles, the building has played a central part in Malaysia’s national narrative. Its facade overlooks the field where, on 30 August 1957, the Union Jack was lowered and the Malayan flag was raised just before midnight, marking a foundational moment in the nation’s journey to independence.
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