HISTORY OF MUSEUM TELEKOM

In the early 1980s, Jabatan Telekom Malaysia ( JTM ) was desperate to find a space to house the telecommunication facilities and its office in the middle of Kuala Lumpur city. Then in 1984, a beautiful colonial building was identified to be torn down to give way to a 26 storey telecommunication complex to be built. However in 1985, the plan was stalled when the Prime Minister at the time, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was very concerned about the national heritage. He proposed that the building to be conserved as one of the country’s legacies From the Prime Minister’s aspiration, JTM decided to reconstruct the building to become Muzium Telekom.

From 1989 to 1992, the construction and internal renovation were being held without changing the original structure of the building since the building has now been gazetted as a national heritage buiding. From 1993 to the middle of 1994, all materials and collections were collected and archived ready for exhibition at Muzium Telekom Gallery. Most of the materials and collections for the exhibition were received from the several units under Telekom Malaysia itself. There are also materials contributed from Malaysia’s Antiquity and Museum Department, Sarawak State Museum, National Archive Department, National Library Department, National Film, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad, National Royal Police and individuals. After the construction of the gallery and material collections were done, on 3rd June 1994, Muzium Telekom was officially opened to public, from local and international tourists.