Penang CM’s official residence to be given minor facelift

GEORGE TOWN, July 26 — The Chief Minister’s official residence, Seri Teratai, which has been left vacant for almost 10 years, will be given a minor facelift with fitting and rewiring works.

State secretary Datuk Seri Farizan Darus, who visited the Class II heritage building along Macalister Road today, said the building and roof structure are still strong.

“The Public Works Department will be assessing the renovation works required for the building,” he told reporters today.

He said the building was left vacant after the former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng moved out from the place almost 10 years ago.

“He only lived there for a short period of time before moving out to another place,” he said.

He said the building was last renovated between 2008 and 2009 at a cost of RM145,000.

After it was renovated, Farizan said the building was regularly maintained.

“Now that the current chief minister has said he wants to live there with his family, we have asked the PWD to assess the amount of works needed before the chief minister can move in,” he said.

He said the structure of the building is strong so minor internal works such as rewiring works will not affect the structure.

“The wiring of the building is 20 years old and needs to be replaced,” he said.

Other works will include fittings such as changing the curtains and the air conditioning system as the old air conditioning system could not be repaired anymore.

Farizan could not give an estimate of the costs of the works to be undertaken as it will depend on the full assessment by PWD.

“The PWD will conduct a full assessment and then specify the works needed and then only we will open it for tender,” he said.

He said renovation works will likely take three to five years.

He said the state will be transparent about the full renovation process.

Seri Teratai was previously used as a guest house when Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon was the chief minister.

Koh had lived in his own home so the building was vacant.

Farizan said the Penang governor lived in the house for three years when the governor’s official residence, Seri Mutiara, was renovated back in 2002.