Penang to table Heritage Bill this month
A Penang Heritage Bill will be tabled during the upcoming state legislative assembly sitting to protect and conserve existing and newly-identified cultural sites.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the World Heritage Committee has proposed that the state government establish an appropriate legal and management mechanism to ensure the protection and conservation of heritage zones.
The state plans to table the Bill during the sitting that is scheduled to begin on April 29.
“The law (when passed) is to ensure that not only heritage zones within George Town are protected and conserved, but other areas within the state as well, including areas where there are natural heritage sites,” Lim told reporters today.
“This would affect areas where the cultural identities are very pronounced and also in areas where they are not so obvious.”
Lim said the 2005 National Heritage Act aimed to identify, register, gazette, conserve, and work on cultural sites within the whole country.
However, the Penang government had found it a challenge to apply the Act as clear mechanisms for implementation at state and district levels appear to be lacking.
Lim also said he had consulted heritage activists and NGOs on the proposed Bill, adding he is uncertain how BN representatives in the state assembly would respond to the matter.
"I cannot predict how they will respond, they are unpredictable anyway," he quipped.
Lim said details of the Bill will be revealed when tabled and the public will have access to information related to it soon.
Attempt to achieve balance
Asked if the state has been over-influenced by heritage activists to draft the Bill, Lim said the administration is merely trying to balance the needs of the group with what the state can do to protect and conserve the gazetted zones.
"We are not trying to please anyone. Some people have said we are pro-development, we have been accused of so many things, we cannot please all the people all the time," said Lim.
On whether the Bill would be similar to Malacca's heritage law, Lim dismissed the question, saying "Malacca is Malacca, Penang always leads".
"Malacca hs turned the field near the heritage area into a shopping complex. Can you imagine if we turn Padang Kota Lama (Esplanade) into a shopping mall too? Please do not compare us with the worst," he added.
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