In October 2006, Malaysia's Minister for Culture, Arts and Heritage, Rais Yatim, reportedly criticised UNESCO for ignoring Asia in its list of world heritage and historical sites, and proposed that the Organisation establish an Asian version of the list.

If this proposal was rejected, he said, countries like China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Malaysia would create their own organization to determine historic and heritage sites in the region, adding that "this is not impossible as we have historians and experts in the field and also in the areas of culture."

What a pity, then, that this powerful combination of local zeal and expertise failed to prevent the recent destruction of the lovely old KL landmark, Bok House, also popularly known as Le Coq D'or.

Despite its having been the first building to be nominated for its architectural, social and historical value under the National Heritage Act, the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry failed to gazette it for preservation because, according to Rais, the mansion was "private property and hence the government could do little to save it", and it "could not be gazetted as a heritage building because of the high rehabilitation and conservation costs."