BALIK Pulau MP Datuk Muhammed Bakhtiar Wan Chik has suggested that the troubled Penang House of Music (PHOM), which is scheduled to formally close on Saturday, consider relocating to the Klang Valley.
He said that a bigger commercial market may just be the solution to salvage the music museum since it has failed in its original business plan in Penang.
Bakhtiar, is the chairperson of My Creative Ventures Sdn Bhd, a government-linked agency under the Communications Ministry, entrusted to try to salvage PHOM from closing.
He suggested that either Kuala Lumpur City Hall or Petrona could sponsor the initiative.
"For now, my chief executive officer is talking to PHOM but my suggestion is to possibly relocate to the Klang Valley where the market might be more welcoming for the product catered for the world of music," he said.
PHOM founder Paul Augustin said for now, the place would be closed by Saturday, as there are no funds to sustain it anymore.
"I have yet to pay my workers their wages for last month so it is best to just close."
Despite the outpouring of well-wishers and pledges to help, Augustine said that the situation is bleak, so the best option remains to shut it down.
Whether it is permanent or not remains to be seen as PHOM was in discussion with My Creative about a possible rescue plan, he said.
Augustine said that he was open to a suggestion to relocate to Kuala Lumpur if a proper sustainable business plan can be reached.
It is learnt that the state government was forced to stop providing annual grants after PHOM was slapped with a legal suit for not settling monthly rentals with arrears close to RM400,000 since it began operating in 2016.
Augustin said that the arrears accumulated due to the late payments of grants, and higher operating expenses.
After 2020, Penang decided to grant it RM500,000 annually but despite that, the concept did not flourish, so the end seems inevitable.
State executive councillor Wong Hon Wai, who oversees tourism, said that the matter is still under discussion between PHOM and My Creative.
Set up when Lim Guan Eng, was the Penang Chief Minister, PHOM initially received a start-up grant of RM3 million from the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP), to operate a sprawling facility along the commercial quarter of Komtar.
Komtar, which boasts the tallest tower block of 65 floors in the northern region, is the seat of the state administration capital but the first five floors consist of commercial shop lots and open spaces for traders.
However, the commercial area of Komtar has been suffering from dwindling commercial value for the past three decades owing to the mushrooming of new and foreign-managed malls and online shopping.
Augustin said that the PHOM decided to operate there pending the creation of the Penang Arts District, which was supposed to be nearby.
It remains to be seen if the arts council is to continue. - The Vibes, March 13, 2024.
