SHAH ALAM: Following the first report on the tender to develop a new RMAF museum at Sendayan airbase, the service has given more details about it. The details were published on Free Malaysia Today website on March 27.
The report stated that:
“The new RMAF Museum is located opposite the Sri Sendayan Mosque and will be a national centre for military aviation history and education.
“The site area for this project is 3.52ha, which includes the main hangar and supporting facilities,” said Asghar.
It is learnt that the museum will have a separate access from the Sendayan air base via Kampung Felda Sendayan. This is to facilitate easier access for visitors – much like museums in Britain and Thailand.
The RMAF Sendayan base is also located opposite the Armed Forces Recreational Club which has a nine-hole golf course with a separate entrance.
For the full report go here.
The report also said the cost of the project will be RM45 million even though the indicative cost of the tender is RM40 million. The report also said the cost of the new museum will be recouped via ticket sales and sponsorship, which to me is mere fantasy.
The airbase is located out of the way – unlike the Army and RMN museums in Port Dickson and Malacca – which will mean that the museum will not have a steady stream visitors. If they want to recoup the cost of building the museum, perhaps they should built it at the Bandar Malaysia, which is the site of the former Sg Besi airbase. It will be right smack in the centre of Kuala Lumpur and visitors will be able to get there via public transport.
Anyhow, from the artist renderings of the new museum it appears that some of the airplanes will be put out in the open without any protection. This is a mistake I believe. This is shown by the condition of the aircraft displayed at the former museum at Sg Besi. Most had turned into rust bucketsby the time they were moved to the former police air wing headquarters waiting their turn to be move to Sendayan.
–Malaysian Defence
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What needs to be done is to register the museum as a charitable entity, so that any monetary contributions will be tax deductible.
That will bring in the money
That is what most western museums set up as.
For example all RAF museums in UK have no entry fees. But visitors are encouraged to contribute and all contributions are tax deductible.
As for location, why not include it in subamg airport redevelopment plans?
ASTC hangar in kuantan (former mig service hangar) is also an ideal location as it can be accessed from outside of the military base.
It’s been a while since I do any kind of taxes works. But if my memory are coming. All donations to gov agencies and departments (except for the under table kind) are taxes deductable. Thought it doesn’t stop some from trying to claims taxes deductable to the under table kind of donations.
Also from what I understand, the current plan for BM would see the hanger at SG besi would still stay. Thought would be repurposed
As for why the museum is not at kuantan or subang or stayed at SG besi. Well we are a developing country. If we have the ability to make good decision then we’ll already be a develop one already.
Zaft – “Well we are a developing country. If we have the ability to make good decision then we’ll already be a develop one already”
What load of bloody nonsense. You saying that developed ones don’t make bad decisions? Since you have a knack going off the reservation in lala land fashion why not talk about about inflation in Niger or the gang problem in Salvador whilst you’re at it.
… – “For example all RAF museums in UK have no entry fees”
Aviation ones I can think of is the RAF museum in Hendon, north London, Duxford [on the site of a former RAF WW2 station] near Cambridge] and the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton. I was in Duxford in 94, there was an entry fee. Same with the Imperial War Museum which Duxford is part of. The Army Museum if I remember correctly has no entry fee.
… – “As for location, why not include it in subamg Airport
redevelopment plans”
Probably because those in charge of it prefer something which can generate substantial revenue as opposed to a museum in which only a tiny minority will visit and probably only once.
.. – “That is what most western museums set up as”
True but Western museums cater to a whole diffrent target audiences in countries with much longer histories and where public interest is much higher. Also those museums tend to have more events or occasions which are possible due to various reasons.
Nuri has a long history with TUDM. Make Nuri as one chapter for exibit, put 3 airframes, each exact patterned from Darurat Kedua & post Darurat. Perhaps a mock up of Nuri landing in a tight jungle LZ for resup during Darurat or small patch of dry land in the sea from Ops Tugu.
Highlighting Nuri’s service & indirectly Darurat Kedua at this museum maybe can help remind us the nation’s history.
Yes fully agreed but the problem is stuff like that can only attract so many visitors and for so long.
Something needs to be done to attract a decent amount of visitors over a longer period. That’s the challenge given we don’t have a long history, that there’s only so much we can show in a museum and that public interest is limited. I mention all these points because there has been talk so what Western museums are doing and if we can do the same.
Azlan “What load of bloody nonsense. You saying that developed ones don’t make bad decisions?”
Not making any single mistake? What kind of idiots would even think that is statistically possible?
Personally I know you know what people means. If not you can’t replied to them. It just you can’t help yourself to Play with nuances to win an internet arguments.
Zaft – “Not making any single mistake”.
Who said anything about not making a “single” mistake?
Zaft – “What kind of idiots would”.
What kind of “idiot” fails time and again to read what was written before hastily replying?
Zaft – “Personally I know you know what people means. If not you can’t replied to them. It just you can’t help yourself to Play with nuances to win an internet arguments”
I suspect I’m not the only one who often has no idea what you’re getting at. For that matter I doubt you even know yourself what you’re trying to say. An example of a nonsensical statement is your “If we have the ability to make good decision then we’ll already be a develop one already”. You mentioned something about “idiots”?
There are so much that can be done to make an Air Force museum exciting, historical and informative. Museums needs to be be able to generate as much income as it can and not rely totally on govt assistance. In this case, I see the Sedayan museum a missing alot of opportunities.
Firstly, its location is far and not easily accessible. Would suggest using either Subang or Kuantan as a better location. Older Hangers may offer better protection for preserving the static displays. Tours and historical talks could be organised. Runways can be used for flight experience tours – either on newer aicraft or vintage flights. There are so many Museums that offers these opportunities such as RAF Cosford, RAF Duxford, RAAF Point Cook, National Museum of the US Air Force to name a few. Open days are enhanced with air shows too. Outdoor areas can be semicovered for display items such as RMAF auxillary equipement, etc
I see Sedayan only offering Static Displays and this will no be enough to attract visitors
Charlie,
Yes a lot of things can be done but ultimate it all boils down to money. Foreign museums can do many things because there is greater overall interest, more activities which constantly evolve, a longer history with more exhibits, funding comes from various sources, etc. Over here the average Malaysian might go once but never again and the bulk of tourists aren’t the type wbo will visit military museums. Sendayan and the army museum in PD aren’t the Bovington Tank Museum and the Imperial War Museum.
Someone else also mentioned “historic flights” but this isn’t Britain or Australia which has a culture of maintaining and preserving aircraft, most of which are civilian owned.
As it is the services are running on a tight budget, never mind a locating resources for things of historical significance. Priority lies elsewhere and private companies are unlikely to want to commit. So how does the museum support itself?
Sendayan as a location is not great but then other more strategic or accessible locations will be on land with great commercial value and will used for something which can generate money.
Agree with the commenters, its off to a bad start by locating it somewhere in boondocks. Who would have interest to go so far to visit? TUDM Sendayan staffers?
Based on the artwork, the facility isnt anything impressive that would need a new building erected. Imho from the looks, just about any old factory space or massive warehouse will do just fine and smack middle Selangor/Shah Alam are plenty industrial lots/ former factories/ large warehouses that could easily fill them except large planes like Hercs (which still is manageable if one is creative with limited spaces). These areas are also great as their roads are typically bigger & wider for lorries so tour buses can easily go around.
As for interest, I think it misses the mark to target adult esp local Msians. When I was at IWM London, there were only handfuls adult tourists, but there were plenty of schoolkids on excursion lawatan sambil belajar. Many I saw were given tasks to fact find historical info there. To me, this is the target audience for our museums and many of these kids will even come back as adults. When I was a kid this is what I did before, not sure if still do but defo such tours will bring steady stream of income to any museum.
“When I was at IWM”
It also excellent archives which are a valuable resource for writers, researchers and historians. There are also an audio archive with lots of interesting stuff on the Emergency.
“To me, this is the target audience for our museums”
Yes but how many will actually return and on what level of frequency? Because of the large number of exhibits and long history one really needs more than one visit to the IWM, Duxford, Army National Museum, Fleet Air Arm Museum, Royal Marines Museum, Parachute Regiment Museum and Bovington Tank Museum. New things are always being added. With the RMAF museum one can cover everything in one visit and new exhibits will hardky be added.
“lots of interesting stuff on the Emergency.”
When I was there 2 years ago, the main floors covered much of WW1, combating Irish insurgency (which no doubt the Irish would take umbrage at depiction their fight for independence) & modern day terrorism, and covert ops. Little about our Emergency era. The same with British Museum, was hoping to see some our colonial history but none. I guess they whitewash any potential international/diplomatic triggerpoints.
“Yes but how many will actually return”
There are hundreds of schools in Msia and a kid goes thru 11 years of schooling. There are plenty of returns from each school, kindergartens, & private schools, some might come when younger grade and return on another excursion at high school. Perhaps 10% of past visitors would return as adults of interest or with their own kids. Still a lot when you consider Msia has millions of kids.
The only problem is actually our history, its far uneventful with more history of being colonised & defeated than any military glory. Even our airforce sole glory is probably with the Nuris as army backbone in the defeat of Communism. That and TLDM chopper snipping Somalian pirates. Otherwise we have nothing to be proud of to tell.
“When I was there 2 years ago#
Use to go every few months when I was there but the last visit was during a short trip in 2003. The theme then in the temporary exhibit section was the Holocaust.
“Even our airforce sole glory is probably with the Nuris as army backbone in the defeat of Communism. That and TLDM chopper snipping Somalian pirates. Otherwise we have nothing to be proud of to tell”
There’s actually quite a bit more than that but most will not be of interest to the average person.
“Little about our Emergency era”
For that one needs to go to regimental museums and the Army Museum in Chelsea. The IWN has loads on the Emergency in the archives but exhibits wise not so.
“Perhaps 10% of past visitors would return as adults”
Perhaps but it’s still not enough to keep a museum financially viable or mage it a must to visit place.
“defeated than any military glory”
Never mind the “glory”, we have a short history. Opening a museum here is considered a must and rightfully so but due to various factors there are limits to what can be done.