PHT Newsletter Issue 94

Melaka and George Town
Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

by L.L.Loh-Lim
Koay Jetty photo by Dr. Ooi Cheng Ghee

"Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca (Malaysia) have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multi-cultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia". (UNITED NATIONS, UNESCO JULY 7 2008)

After 11 years of untiring, relentless efforts, the PHT cannot even begin to describe its shock, joy and euphoria at the successful UNESCO World Heritage Site listing of George Town and Malacca. George Town is now a site considered 'to be of outstanding value to humanity with cultural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity'. The three Universals Values under which the two cities were submitted revolved around the multicultural heritage, the Straits Settlements shop-house architecture and the religious buildings. Our cultural heritage embraces both tangible as well as intangible heritage and all steps should now be taken to protect both.

Even within the ranks of the converted such as PHT members there will be issues raised, such as, 'What are the advantages of being a World Heritage Site?' Besides the obvious such as prestige and having 'an edge above the rest' and increased tourist arrivals (itself a twin-edged sword), in brief these may be summed up as:

1. Scarcity Value - land values have increased (World Heritage Sites have higher value than surrounding properties)
2. New economic opportunities for Local Community
3. Higher visitor arrivals and, hopefully, better quality visitor arrivals
4. Implementation of Improved Management Plan
5. More sources of Funding - Federal and International
6. More studies and research, greater focus - Leading to improved documentation
7. Relocation from surrounding areas - World Heritage Sites tend to attract the best to live, work, invest
8. Investment in Local Artisans and Craftsmen - subsidies, training, identification of new commercial opportunities

Important issues such as Authenticity, Integrity and the Role of the Community have to be seriously addressed because once a site is inscribed; the country has to take steps such as legal provisions and a management system to ensure proper protection of the site from threats. Besides the obvious ones such as development pressure, threats will arise in many forms, even from tourist arrivals, if mismanaged. While cultural heritage tourism is the largest area of expansion in tourism today and World Heritage Sites experience massive increases in tourist arrivals, the World Heritage City of George Town will have to cope with issues of carrying capacity, management, infrastructure , overload and volume.

So what does PHT see as the immediate problems facing the WHS today?

The Management Plan has not been effectively put into operation

No cultural mapping has been undertaken

There is a low understanding and politicizing of cultural diversity and traditions

There is no up-to-date survey data

There is no political will to implement and enforce guidelines and regulations

There is no over-arching policy regarding sales, evictions and gentrification and therefore no over-arching policy with regard to loss of inner city traditional communities

Conservation work has loose documentation and even looser control by authorities

There is a tendency to take 'short cuts'

There is poor understanding of heritage values by contractors and designers

There is a tendency to over-design, sanitize and to use generic ideas, regardless of context

Support Zones, i.e., areas outside the core and buffer zones with buildings and communities considered critical to the Penang story, have not been carefully documented and listed. In working to create the context for a well managed heritage site that will bring about economic benefit and wellbeing for the local community, the soundest and most sustainable economic strategy would be to adopt the strict conservation and heritage development of the CORE, BUFFER and SUPPORT zones.

This should NOT be done primarily for tourism, where the danger of creating 'theme-parks' exists, but for the communities within the site, where facilities are up-graded and the site is well managed. Tourism then becomes a bonus by-product where visitors are invited to 'share' the site and the local communities enjoy improved facilities.