MR ISKANDAR JALIL

Column: 459

MR ISKANDAR JALIL

44.

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (a) what help was given to Mr Iskandar Jalil to save his 43-year-old kiln; (b) what alternatives were offered to him in terms of working with that kiln; and (c) what support is given to artists who prefer to work from their homes and are in need of such spaces and facilities.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Iskandar Jalil had been creating his pottery works with a large gas-fired kiln and a smaller kiln at his single storey detached home-cum-workshop. In January this year, URA received a public complaint that Mr Iskandar's home was used as a pottery workshop. URA noted that the shed built by the Master Potter to store his pots and kilns were built up to the common boundary wall. Then in March, SCDF received a public complaint that a number of large gas cylinders were stored at Mr Iskandar's workshop. Upon inspection, SCDF found that the gas cylinders in Mr Iskandar's compound were a fire hazard to his neighbours. Mr Iskandar was therefore asked to set his shed back by a metre. He was also asked to remove the large gas cylinders as they were illegal for private use in a private dwelling, but was allowed to keeptwo small gas cylinders.

Upon learning about his predicament on 4th May 2004, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Mr Yatiman Yusof, together with CEO of NAC and senior officials, met with Mr Iskandar at the workshop. At this point, Mr Iskandar had started demolishing the structure including the roof cover of his kiln. Without the large gas cylinders, Mr Iskandar was unable to operate the larger kiln. This kiln was too large and fragile to be relocated, and hence Mr Iskandar decided to dismantle it. And while Mr Iskandar was able to store small gas cylinders and continue operating the smaller kiln, he would have difficulty achieving the desired effects.

To help Mr Iskandar continue his work, NAC brought Mr Iskandar to view the kiln at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) Middle Road Campus under the Arts Housing Scheme. Mr Iskandar was also invited by STB to use the Guan Huat Dragon Kiln at Jalan Bahar. We understand that Mr Iskandar is still considering the two venues.

We hope that he would continue to create his unique and renowned works from the new premises. MICA and NAC will continue to support Mr Iskandar. I would also like to highlight that generally, all artists are free to operate from home. However where the use of specialised equipment and alteration or additions to the home environment are required, artists should seek the advice of the proper authorities.

MICA recognises the need for artists to have conducive spaces to practise their art. That is why we operate the NAC Arts Housing Scheme to provide suitable and affordable housing for deserving arts groups and artists to engage in their creative work.