Iconic Clock Tower Rebuilt At Pasar Kedai Payang, Reviving Merdeka Heritage

By Balqis Jamaludin

KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 9 (Bernama) -- Stepping into Pasar Kedai Payang 1 - which began operations on Aug 1 - one is immediately captivated by the variety of local crafts on sale, including Terengganu's jewellery, which serves as a major attraction for visitors.

However, amidst the bustling trade here, many, especially those from outside the area, might not know that the site of Pasar Kedai Payang 1 was once home to a significant monument commemorating the country's independence on Aug 31, 1957.

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“A clock tower was built at this location at the end of 1957 by the Terengganu Public Works Department architect, inscribed with the words ‘Merdeka 31st August 1957’,” said Datuk Mohd Yusof Abdullah, CEO of the Royal Terengganu Institute for Historical and Legal Studies (R-TIHiLS), to Bernama recently.

Elaborating further, Mohd Yusof said the square-shaped tower with a four-cornered roof was designed with motifs of traditional Terengganu houses to honour the independence achieved through the sacrifice of the nation's fighters.

“On each of the four walls of the clock tower were four murals depicting the economic activities of the people at the time, including fishing, rice planting, copper work, and ‘songket’ weaving,” he said.

Given its coastal location, the clock tower played an important role as a timekeeper for the local population, including fishermen and traders, most of whom could not afford wristwatches at the time.

“Apart from being a symbol of independence, the clock tower was also built to facilitate the daily activities of the local population. Generally, a clock tower is a landmark of a place. Wherever you go, there is always a big clock,” he said, noting that most other states also built clock towers as a symbol of the joy of gaining independence.

However, the clock tower had to be demolished around the 1980s to make way for the development and expansion of Pasar Kedai Payang and the surrounding area.

Now, decades after its demolition, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, has rebuilt the clock tower to revive the nostalgia, in line with the redevelopment of Pasar Kedai Payang 1.

Project architect Abdul Rahim Abu Bakar said the 12-metre-high clock tower was located about 15 metres from the original site of the previous clock tower, and among the reasons for building the tower was for it to serve as a new attraction at Pasar Kedai Payang 1 and 2.

“The construction of this clock tower is more about creating a monument or landmark for Pasar Kedai Payang 1 and 2 and the surrounding area. As architects, we are aware of the trend where people like to take photos for memories, so the construction of the clock tower is a direct response to this universal culture, and the results can be seen today,” he said in an interview with Bernama at his office.

The architect from LWC Architect said that by retaining the square shape, the tower also features a spire inspired by the pulpit of Masjid Abidin (State Mosque) located about 200 metres from Pasar Kedai Payang 1 and 2.

“The architectural feature with the ‘bangau’ motif on the dome of the clock tower is an adaptation of the ‘bangau’ carvings on the bow (front) of traditional fishing boats. We also incorporated a modern architectural style with glass walls on all four sides of the tower to create a special effect when the tower lights up at night.

“The design, carvings, and choice of finishing materials follow traditional styles and are characteristic of the Nusantara region, with the walls also adorned with Islamic geometric patterns,” he said, adding that the clock tower was completed in approximately six months.

As requested by the Kuala Terengganu City Council, he said, the area around the clock tower also had space for rickshaw pullers to gather with their rickshaws, which can attract visitors to take photographs.

Meanwhile, a ‘keropok’ seller at Pasar Kedai Payang 2, Zainun Jusoh, 65, said she was very happy with the reconstruction of the clock tower, which she believed would attract more visitors.

She said she had often heard stories from her mother, Halijah Taib, 84, about the old clock tower that was demolished.

“My mother had been trading there even before Pasar Payang existed. So she witnessed how the old clock tower was built and then demolished. Now my mother is too frail to leave the house and sometimes her memory is impaired. I showed her a photo of the new clock tower, and she was very excited to see it,” she said.

-- BERNAMA