I often wonder how the Malaysian powers-that-be define growth and progress. As we race towards becoming a fully developed country by the year 2020, do we even know what being 'developed' means? Is it all about shiny skyscrapers, criss-crossing highways and astronauts in space? All these things merely go to show that we have some spare cash to spend and nothing else. Sometimes, allowing our government to run the country feels like giving four-year-old boys a Lego set - they build and demolish with no sense of aesthetics and a lack of appreciation for our heritage.

Recently, it was reported that the Malacca state government is proposing to build a mini-monorail from Melaka Sentral to Semabok, Melaka Raya, Kota Laksamana and back to Melaka Sentral. Now, if you were a local, you would know that each of these 'stops' are only 10 minutes apart by car and most families in Malacca own at least one car. In fact, the public buses are seldom full. Why do we need a monorail then? According to the chief minister, the presence of the monorail will 'add value' to the Malacca River. My question is, how? How on earth will having a monorail cross over the river add value to it? Do you have any idea how amiss it will look?

In 1956, Tunku Abdul Rahman led a delegation to London to negotiate Malaya's independence. The British government agreed and when Tunku returned home, he aptly chose to announce the news in Malacca, the place where it all began. Consequently, the location of this announcement was named 'Padang Merdeka'. One would think that such a historical site would be cherished and preserved by the government. But, no, they decided to build, of all things, a shopping mall on the Padang. Dataran Pahlawan Megamall is now home to Malacca's very first MNG store. Most Malaccans are civil servants leading very simple lives. I'm not sure how many of them would be able to afford the latest fashions from MNG and Esprit. Years ago, Padang Merdeka was the place youth would gather in the evenings for friendly football matches, cheered on by family and friends. Was this too un-glamourous and un-progressive for the government?

The Malacca state government has also decided to build an observation tower costing RM15 million just outside the state's Heritage Zone. They expect 500,000 tourists a year to visit Melaka Tower. Well, 500,000 people looking at what exactly? Anyone who's been up KL Tower can tell you that the view from the top is not always a pretty sight. Malacca is an architectural paradise and is best appreciated from the ground level. An observation tower in the middle of historical Malacca is like Trump Tower in old Salzburg - it will only look crude and vulgar.

And just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, they are toying with the notion of a cable car linking St John's Hill to Pulau Melaka. I grew up in my grandparents' home at the foot of the hill. So, I know when I say that there is no way one would be able to build a cable car station on that hill without damaging St John's Fort, which, so happens, is more than 200-years-old. During the mornings and evenings, you'll be able to see many locals jogging up and down the hill, chatting with friends, enjoying the greenery and fresh air. It is a green lung and the people's sanctuary. How could a cable car station be more important than that?

The government aspires to make Malacca a developed state by 2010. But if 'developed' means turning a once charming town into something tacky, sacrificing taste and heritage at the altar of the ringgit sign, I'd rather remain 'undeveloped'.