So the Penang government will consult Unesco to come up with a solution to the scandal of the four proposed high-rise buildings in the George Town world heritage core and buffer zones. In the meantime, the developers concerned have been advised to halt their projects temporarily to placate the public and to avoid risking the world heritage status.
Are they trying to persuade Unesco to agree to those four high-rise buildings? It’s not a question of whether Unesco agrees or disagrees. It’s really a question of whether we value our own priceless heritage, which is unique in this region. Look at how other historical cities in Europe have strict guidelines as to what kind of buildings are allowed and what aren’t in their own heritage areas – even without a world heritage listing. Over here, guidelines are just for show (or to secure world heritage status); nobody cares about enforcing them… as long as quick (short-sighted) profits can be made.
Why is the state bending over backwards to please these developers? You tell me. Oh yes, that familiar line again; repeat after me, all together now, “They will claim compensation from the state if we don’t allow them.” That’s pathetic. Let them try and do that, and we shall see if the people of Penang will be amused.
An irate Penang resident and blog reader, Andrew, sends this comment:
Why does this DAP-PKR govt have to consult Unesco for a win-win solution? The only win-win should be for the people of Penang and for heritage conservation.
They are trying to negotiate and get Unesco to agree to the buildings, is it? Just tell the developers to take their projects elsewhere-lah! Like you think we Penangites gonna die without those four dumb high-rises, is it? What we lose from those projects, we shall gain from heritage tourism.
Hopeless punya Pakatan government in Penang. “Otak tak centre” punya approach.
I thought LGE did say that if the project is canceled, millions have to be paid to the developers as compensation? Now, what’s wrong with talking to UNESCO for a win-win solution? Or Andrew prefer to have a state government that do whatever they like without considering the impact and consequences?
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Refer to the project papers; who actually approved the projects in contravention of the heritage rules? It is no longer enough to say this was approved by the previous BN government, LGE has to actively engage and find a solution. Losing the UNESCO recognition is not an option.
This has gone too far; the state government had better find its voice and its way through this mess. If heads should roll so be it.
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Seem like LGE is doing what he like, behaving like Penang belong to him. Who approve the Penang Hill clearing that caused the first ever flood at Penang Hill ? Who has been joining NGOs on protest over approval of high rise building within Georgetown heritage enclave before March 8, 2008? Who give approval now? Who has been joining NGOs on protest over Penang Hill Cable Car project before March 8, 2008? Who give approval now? Who has been joining NGOs on protest over hill slope development before March 8, 2008? Who give approval now?
Let me make a prediction, LGE the fool if not ousted by Penangites in next coming election…
A trap set up for him by BN, but only a fool like him will fall for it
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I agree to have discussion with Unesco, we may find a better solution.
We should not doing this blindly , meet with Unesco and learn from there.
Cancelling is an option, but it may resulted paying millions of compensation to the developers , if the discussion can get a final conculsion without payint the compensation , i think we should discuss, try it first ..
Using the millions for the thousand poor folks , saving life , and used it for education will definately worth than having the Unesco status .. and also used the millions to grow more trees ..
We dont want to follow the previous admin of BN , do this fast without thinking of the impact ..
Now economy is so bad , saving millions will definately the better choice .. U may lost the heritage now , but it may ended saving thousand of poor people and children .,.
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Dear friend,
when our beloved Mr CM claimed that he didn’t aware about the guidelines, it make me puke.
I am wondering what’d happened to people like chow kon yeow & those dap fello? aren’t they too protested during koh su koon’s time & attended most of the protests held by SOS penang on the very same issue?
if Mr CM frm Melaka didn’t aware abt the guideline then the dap fellos should raise it up before they approve the projects. Right???
I am wondering again if these fello hv become real eunuch & hvn’t the gut to speak up.
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Huh? Now the government is looking for ways to strike a win-win situation… and yet kena hantam?
I don’t see anything wrong even if the government wants to persuade UNESCO… Conflicts resolving is all about compromising… remember the issues are due to misunderstandings… No one wants to lose the status, and no one wants to fork out huge sum of money… On one hand the government kena hantam by losing heritage status, on the other hand the government also kena hantam by going bankrupt due to the fines imposed by legal suit…
I don’t know, I studied marine conservation… and throughout the classes, we all talk about how conflicts being solved, how talks and roundtables being held, how it requires everyone to step one step behind to deal with various issues… and how it costs lots and lots of money to do so…
In my POV, The government’s approach is right… but the government should also work more on improving communication between sectors… Is there going to be a single agency, integrating several stakeholders, from Federal to state government and onto the people who’s living in Penang WHS?
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A heritage is a heritage!!!
where on earth can one find a heritage site with high rise building on it?
how to negotiate with unesco? will the unesco accept the 4 new buildings & forgo their own guidelines or kowtow to the state whim & fancy? mind u don’t expect other to be eunuch as well & have to kow tow to certain people.
btw, it’s ridiculous to claim that the present state govt’s approach is right, when in the 1st place they should not have approved the projects.
It’s blatant disregard to guidelines set by the world body. maybe they can do it in melaka……..
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I agree with hoyohoyo, the government is right in striking a win-win solution for the UNESCO heritage status. If at the same time, we can keep the heritage status, and prevent from compensating millions from our taxpayers money, is indeed the best solution.
why do we have to be so obsessed with the heritage status? heritage tourism no doubt is profitable, but it is also a long-term investment and those hotels can provide job opportunities which are vital if tourism sector is to be our next main economy.
And, I don’t think Mr. CM should get all the blame for this mess, after all, the blame should be on the previous administration.
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well ,wat to do, the government i believe is more interested in dinners like Malam Kemenangan Rakyat rather than this important issues, hope u all knoe what i mean, but i heard Mr. Lim Guan Eng is trying his very best, dunno how far its true, and i heard his comrades r the cause of his failures as they r not working smart nor hard, just like badawi advisors i guess, more of hearsay, hope someone with evidence can come forward to say something, i do have some evidence n truth actually about DAP assemblymens, hope i dun go missing soon. HAHA. but i look at DAP as not stable as many people in there dun have grassroot support, look at Tony Pua, joined DAP- BECOME OUR CM ECONOMIC ADVISOR (NOW NO MORE DUE TO HIS BURDEN AS MP ALL ) – AND NOW SELANGOR CHIEF … WOW… SOUNDS FAMILIAR LIKE HOW OUR NEW CHIEF JUSTICE RISED TO THE TOP SO FAST. HAHA…
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Sorry, I am not sure about this but I wonder whether the people of Penang even care about this status when comes March 2009.
Right now most of manufacturing concerns have orders right up to this period.
Beyond March 2009 is anybody’s guess.
It is estimate the manufacturing sector accounts for about 40% of Penang’s GDP.
So far, the good news is there will be no increment to the pay and no bonus…err that’s the good news!
Will this status be able to provided enough jobs to absorb the layoffs?
November just ended, my business associates at shopping complexes are lamenting about poor sales which normally should be their one of their best months.
They can only hope to do better in December, but they are not betting the home on it.
If can clear stock and reduce losses, Ok liao!
Since the credit crunch is world wide problem, I can’t see more ‘value’ foreign tourist arriving in the near future.
Moreover tourism products usually have long gestation period, and I would rather put it at the back burner and focus on executing real plan to cushion the adverse impact of the economic crisis on the people of Penang,
….example like improving the current public transport.
How much boost to Penang’s GDP and incremental percentage to the ‘Value’ tourist arrival, do you think this status can achieve?
I consider this Status as ‘nice to have’ but not essential, unless you can convince me otherwise.
With or without the Status, the historical landmarks and building are still there.
Do we need that Status to be able to appreciate the historical sites?
If these historical sites, in Penang and Malacca, are so important to Malaysia, why isn’t all these, especially the one in PG, part of the Malaysian educational syllabus?
Preservation of its root should be a sincere thing and not just for that Status.
The love and appreciation of Penang’s roots should be part of all schools’ curriculum in Penang, with or without this Status.
Let’s be honest how many of you supported these sites by visiting everyone of them with family (especially the young children)and friends ON A REGULAR BASIS?
We need to take young children to these place and educate them on their roots.
Only then will we see continuity in the preservation regardless of the economical or political weather.
I agreed with hoyohoyo, right now is not the time to hantam left, right and center.
It is just not productive!
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Penang or George Town Is my birth place.
The heritage foundation guide lines are very clear.
Nothing more than 8 stories high.
What makes Penang so special that you think you can negotiate
your way out of this.
If they make you an exception they would have to make the same for all others.
Don’t waste your time, just stop all the hotels above 8 stories be they approved by Gerakan or PR.
It is wiser you negotiate with the developers than going against a brick wall.
Sometimes I feel that the present administration is behaving like either novices or they think they are God sent?
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The problem with LGE is that he took on some of his colleagues from his party in Penang with baggage and skeletons in the cabinet! These are incompetent administrators… just look at the tennis fiasco. LGE need to get pros to help him manage the state, period.
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By the way the moon is smiling gloriously tonight at your ineptness.
All you CM and member go take a long good look. It may never happen again in your lifetime.
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I can’t agree with it.
Again, I want to see Penang develop like Hong Kong and Singapore.
We don’t need that tens of thousands of prewar houses.
It is not the same if these houses are all still strong and beautiful.
Majority of them are just waiting to fall apart.
They are an ugly side in the town, some not all though.
So, unless UNESCO force Penang to spend all their funds on restoration effort for the houses…I rather see them disappear than standing there waiting for the natural elements to bring it down.
A few rows left should be good enough to tell the world we have prewar houses!!!
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stupid penang people… no wonder penang still a kampung
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The smartest thing to do is to sit down and talk this over with UNESCO, with the developers and come up with a solution, yes a win-win-win solution for the good of Penang and her people.
What is so wrong with that?
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Dear Anil,
Agree with all you say…..it must be first the rakyat interest i.e. we must preserve our heritage.
However we must cut them some slag. This is already done and if they can salvage the situation, good for us. But in future, all this type of fast track and unconsidered development in the heritage area must stop.
In the same breath, I must say that sustainable development must be allowed to continue. Who says that in European countries like Germany, France etc there are no modern building side by side with older heritage ones. Take Berlin and Paris as an example. The difference is that they are carefully thought out and well planned taking into consideration always the heritage aspect first.
Another point, modern Europe started a long time ago, they too have made their mistakes but they are careful since several decades. We are just starting to develop as a nation, the state government is new and inexperienced, still learning the ropes and get themselves acclamatised to the available information. Also there will be elements that on purpose hide information or simply refuse to help. All this taken into consideration, we need to cut some slack to the new government although it is excellent that we keep a tab on them.
Just my 2 cents worth.
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What is so wrong with discussion with UNESCO. Do you idiots still prefer the present government to bulldoze through every issues like the previous one?
How many of you can tell me that Penangites are all for Heritage listing? Have the previous government asked us especially the people who lives in the city and the property owners before they applied and do they have solutions to preserve the city before the application? From what I heard they can’t even seems to agreed on the areas to conserve.
From what I know the people who talk most on conservation are the people who can make money from it,eg.architects,the so call specialist in heritage and people who lives outside the city.
I am not against heritage listing but I just can’t agreed with some of the people here who acted like they are the champion of the people. Come and tell me again when this issue affect your daily life especially when it hurts your pocket.
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^^^
Well said. They are always quick to condemn when something goes wrong, typical Penangites! GRR! How many of you live in the heritage enclave, has contributed to the listing of Georgetown under UNESCO or actively involved in restoring any of those pre war buildings?
Personally, i don’t see anything wrong with our dear CM trying to negotiate a win-win situation. It will be for the benefit of all Penangites. Btw, what makes you ppl think that all Penangites echo your views?!
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Did anyone bother to ask those who are affected most?
http://romerz.blogspot.com/2008/12/heritage-who-asked-those-affected-most.html
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I believe it would be a great boost to LGE government if the discussion and negotiation with UNESCO turns out to be a successful one.
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