Pahang agrees to rebuild Mat Kilau's house

KUANTAN – The Pahang government has agreed with the proposal to rebuild Pahang Malay warrior Mat Kilau's old houses in Pulau Tawar, Jerantut and Batu 5, Jalan Gambang, here, and hand them over to the Pahang State Museum Corporation for inspection.

State Tourism, Culture, Environment, Plantation and Commodity Committee exco Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin said it should be looked at from all angles so that the reconstruction of the house would be beneficial.

"Among the things to look at include who would be living there. Are there heirs? "If it is made into a historical and tourist attraction, who will be managing it? These are among the things that need to be taken into account," he said in a statement on Monday.

This, Mohd Sharkar said was important to ensure that the house was being managed properly when it is built and completed later.

“I recommend that the director and production company of the film Mat Kilau play a role in realising the proposal as a corporate social responsibility (CSR).

"Through the profits earned, there is no harm for the director and production company to contribute a small portion of the profit from the film to rebuild Mat Kilau's heritage house," he said.

He said apart from CSR, it could be a gesture of appreciation as they had gained profits up to tens of millions of ringgit.

"The production company could also apply for tax exemption from the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) to reconstruct the house.

"As the state executive councilor, I agree with the proposal to rebuild the house left by Mat Kilau and the involvement of the film production company is welcomed to make it happen," he said.