Pavilion of shame
By Terence Fernandez, TheSun
TAKE a look at the picture on the right. Notice the bucket? It was taken at the Malaysian Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo on Sept 13. Apart from Ogawa massage chairs, 3-in-1 coffee and orang utan soft toys at the foot of a two-storey replica of the Twin Towers, visitors to the pavilion were also given a glimpse of another facet of Malaysia – leaking roofs.
 Like home … The leaking roof at our pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo on Sept 13. |
Yes, not only do we have such wet scenes at court houses, the National Registration Department’s headquarters and Parliament, we have now showcased our questionable construction standards to the world.
One would think that at a cost of RM19.5 million (though according to estimates it has shot up to RM40 million), we could have done a better job in showcasing what Malaysia has to offer. It is bad enough that the pavilion was akin to an exhibition put up by schoolchildren at an open day, now visitors to the pavilion also have a taste of what to expect during wet days in this country.
I am made to understand that the leak is being fixed but the embarrassment to the country will take a longer time to repair. This is what happens when pharmaceutical companies decide to be building contractors. It is like asking a heart surgeon to overhaul a lorry engine.
I am made to understand that the construction of the 3,000 sq m pavilion was supervised by government officials instead of civil engineers.
Speaking of which, one cannot fault the people running the pavilion as they were merely taking orders from the powers that be in Kuala Lumpur. They were attentive and displayed hospitality that is quintessential Malaysian. But seriously what is a talk on the Peranakans compared to the robots at the Japan Pavilion? When the Spanish have flamenco dancers and an awesome sound and light show with realistic tidal waves, we offer information kiosks on our golf courses and beaches.
While Singapore has a musical fountain and rooftop garden that embodies its garden city reputation, we have a cut-and-paste jungle façade complete with orang utans (at least there’s a waterfall feature) and a Jacuzzi. Yes, a glimpse of Malaysian furniture and bathroom fixtures. With all the handbags and mannequins clad in made-in-Malaysia outfits, one cannot be faulted for thinking he had just walked into a shopping mall – which is essentially what the pavilion is.
One would like to attribute the non-functioning LED screens to the thunderstorm, but according to pavilion staff, they had been out of order for awhile. At least the golf simulator had been fixed.
Even our durian had been hijacked by the Singapore mascot, while we were making do with toyol-like mannequins illustrating our cocoa industry.
This brings us to the food. To be truthful, I had not sampled it but the consensus from those who had visited the pavilion is that it was not authentic. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that a Hongkong-based company had been appointed caterers.
What is glaring is that there was no participation from the private sector, with freight cost being an excuse, among others. Even the national car was a no-show. It seems like the pavilion is only a showpiece for the likes of Matrade.
The Malaysia Pavilion, however, boasts of 4.7 million visitors since the World Expo was launched in May. It still commands long queues (not as long as the four-hour wait at the Japan Pavilion) but the turnaround is quick, according to pavilion staff.
Its red batik designed Minangkabau roof can be easily spotted from afar, though it may be mistaken for a temple with its pagoda-like façade. Surely the fact that we are promoting Indonesian architecture should be a factor in thawing relations between us and our neighbour.
But let me not be a wet blanket. After all, Malaysia had set itself apart at the expo. While other nations are telling the world about their future via design, concept and content, we seem to be the only one delving into the past. But in our case, we don’t seem to learn from history.
