Why acquire Coliseum cinema?
By M. KRISHNAMOORTHY
KA!A !M"R# The curtain may soon fall on Coliseum cinema.
One of the oldest landmarks in the city may be a picture of the past, if the authorities
have their way in turning it into a National Heritage Centre.
And, this has distressed owner r Chua !eong !iew, who wants to know why the
"overnment is trying to take away the almost century old cinema from him when there
are so many empty "overnment buildings here that could be converted into a heritage
centre.
His mother, who bought the building from a family estate in #$%&, had restored and
maintained the building.
r Chua !eong !iew looking distressed as he
stands in front of the Coliseum Cinema which
is owned by him. He is crying foul that the
"overnment is taking over the almost century'
old building, one of the oldest landmarks in
(uala )umpur, which will be ga*etted as a
National Heritage Centre. The Coliseum was
bought by r Chua+s mother from a family
estate in #$%&.
,-hy me./ r Chua, 01, said with tears in his eyes.
,2t+s not fair. 2 feel sad, disgusted and angry that they want to take away a property that
the family left to me. And, it is not fair because the "overnment had ac3uired three pieces
of land in the past from me.
,2 am an old man and 2 have not done any wrong. -hy is the "overnment coming after
me when 2 have sacrificed three of my properties for the development of the nation./
2n the #$$4s, 055ha of choice land in his 6adingley 7state made way for the
development of 8utra9aya.
)ater, on two occasions he gave up land belonging to his family ne:t to the Ampang );T
station.
He said that there were so many dilapidated buildings owned by the "overnment around
the cinema that have become hideouts for dadah addicts, while the Coliseum provided an
outlet for healthy activities.
,The Coliseum has been the hub for youths of all races so that they do not get involved in
crime./
r Chua was responding to a proposed "overnment "a*ette that was served on him two
weeks ago by City Hall officials asking him to furnish a separate valuation of the
property, as the "overnment, under the )and Ac3uisition Act, wanted to ac3uire his
property.
,The "overnment should realise that the Coliseum has generated millions of ringgit in
revenue through entertainment and income ta:es. 2 will continue to pay ta:es from the
revenue.
,The "overnment should consider using several government'owned unoccupied
buildings and bungalows in the city and along <alan Tun ;a*ak, <alan (ia 8eng and in the
Ampang area, instead./
=uilt in #$># by Chua Cheng =ok, the Coliseum was the place that popularised local
movie stars like 8. ;amlee.
The 111'seat cinema, renovated in #$0>, in ;oman'styled architecture is closely
associated to the Coliseum Cafe ne:t door, a famous and historic watering hole.
$e%eral Thea&er. This is 'here I 'a&che% my (ames Bon% mo)ies amon* o&hers.
Since cinema 'as close%+ &he ,uil%in* has ,een a -u, an% a %isco. I& no' houses .
cine-le/es an% a res&auran&.
Ca-i&ol Thea&er. This
use% &o sho' Chinese mo)ies. I ha)e 'a&che% 0 or . 1un*23u 3lic1s here. I& is no' a
su-er2mar1e&.
If today, the movie theaters and movie distribution is split between the two major players - TGV and GSC;
those days it was Shaw Brothers and Cathay r!anisation" f #ourse there were some independent
#inemas su#h as Coliseum"
$ movies, ;a9a =ersiong %The &an!ed 'in!( and 6ahsuri %The )aid of *an!+awi(, both le!ends from
'edah and written by out first ,rime )inister, the late Tun+u -bdul .ahman ,utra al-/aj, were produ#ed
by Shaw and Cathay respe#tively"
Cathay Cinema near =ukit =intang, () ' probably in the #$54s .........
?ederal Cinema in <ln ;a9a )aut@Chow (it area ' probably in the #$04s .......
6a9estic Cinema <alan 8udu ' circa #$%4s@#$54s maybe.
!tatus of some of the old, stand'alone cinemas in (uala )umpurA
#B Cathay Cinema C=ukit =intangB ' opened in #$51 D closed in ecember #$$& ' demolished in >44> ' now an open'air car park.
>B 8avilion Cinema C=ukit =intangB ' opened in #$E5F located ne:t to Cathay cinema ' originally shows mainly 7nglish movies until
Cathay opened ' closed in #$$0 D demolished in >444. Now an open'air car park.
EB ;e: Cinema C<alan !ultan, near ChinatownB ' closed ' original burnt down in early &4+s ' new one erected in #$&0 ' !hows mainly
7nglish movies.
%B 6adras Cinema C8etaling !treet in 6adras )aneB ' said to be haunted D was burnt down in #$&1 ' !haw =rothers never rebuilt it D now
is an open'air carpark
5B )ido Cinema C=rickfieldsB ' closed D demolished ' generally 2ndian movies
0B ?ederal Cinema C<alan ;a9a )aut@Chow (itB ' closed on E# August >44# ' originally single'screen but was later converted into a twin'
screen in early $4+s ' 7nglish movies
&B Capitol Cinema ' C<alan ;a9a )aut@Chow (itB ' closed in >444 ' opened in #$%&F located ne:t to ?ederal ' shows Chinese movies until
#$$0 when it switches to showing 2ndian movies
1B Odeon Cinema C<alan ang -angiB ' still opened ' =uilt by Cathay Organisation in #$E0 ' shows movies until November #$$& ' now an
arcade selling clothes, maga*ines, electronic goods and snacks.
$B 6a9estic Cinema C<alan 8uduB ' was opened in the #$E4+s. 2t was demolished in >440 and the site remains an empty lot in >44$.
#4B !entul Cinema C!entulB ' opened early &4+s by !haw ' shows a mi:ture of Chinese, 7nglish, 6alay, 2ndonesian D 2ndian movies '
closed in #$1% and it became a furniture retail and a restaurant.
##B Coliseum Cinema C<alan Tunku Abdul ;ahmanB ' built in the late #$E4s and still open till now ' seats $44 patrons D shows mainly
Tamil D Hindi movies ' has been ga*etted by "overnment for preservation.
*ast edited by taurus012; 3anuary 1th, $044 at 02546 -)"
