284. THE ALOR STAR CLOCK TOWER, MALAYSIA

Went back to Alor Star to deliver my father's recently ordered spectacles. Passed by the Alor Star Clock Tower and Masjid Zahir and the urge to blog about this magnificent clock tower was so strong that I just need to write something about it. Stop by and parked in front of the Balai Besar and proceeded to take a few shots of the tower.

This clock tower constructed 98 years ago during the British administration still stands magnificently at Jalan Raja in the Alor Star City Centre. It is strategically located next to the State mosque or Zahir Mosque, the old Court Buildings presently housing the Sultan Abdul Halim Muazzam Shah Gallery, The Balai Besar ( the Ceremonial Hall ), the Balai Nobat ( Gongs Hall ) and the State Art Gallery in the Heritage Zone.

According to the plaque erected in front of the clock tower, the muezzin at the state mosque will rely on the time shown on the four clocks to mark time for calling prayers.

The architecture is distinctly Moorish as were most of the Islamic buildings erected during that era. The designs around the four facets at the lower part of the tower building and above the entrance door are very intricate with a touch of classical Hindu design.

In general, the tower is fairly maintained with a new coat of paint but a little bit more effort by the City Council to remove all the parasite plants on the tower building would definitely go a long way to usher in local and foreign tourists to this heritage marvellous building.

For the record, Alor Star, the capital city and administrative centre of Kedah state in the northern part of peninsular Malaysia is the birth place of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra alhaj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia and of Tun Dr Mahathir, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia.

P/S I've written a letter to the honourable Menteri Besar of Kedah highlighting the condition of the clock tower. Hopefully he would be gracious enough to look into the matter.