Villagers of Kampung Chitti, a heritage village in Malacca, are pleading for the state government to keep its pre-election promise and stop the development of two 22-storey condominum blocks and a hotel adjacent to their historical site.

The Malacca Chitti Welfare and Culture Association said then Malacca chief minister Mohd Ali Rustam had ordered the construction to be stopped during a Deepavali celebration there in December last year.

The association's chief, Supramania Pillay ( right ), said Ali had also promised that the said land where the construction was to take place, would be acquired for public use instead.

"We now plead to the Malacca government that it fulfils its promise," Supramania said in a statement issued last night.

Project resumes after election

Mohd Ali was replaced by Idris Haron as chief minister after the May 5 general election – and the condominium project resumed after the election.

Supramania said if the acquisition was an issue, the state government could obtain funding under the Heritage Act 2005 as Kampung Chitti has been gazetted as a heritage site under the law.

He also urged the state government to bring the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) on board to review the development project.

The project consist of two 22-storey condominium blocks, a 12-storey hotel and a six-storey car park to be built in between the Muthu Mariamman Temple and Kampung Chitti, which has existed since 1414.

The Chitti, a distinctive community in Malacca, are of Tamil descent but have assimilated a mix of Malay and Chinese cultures and generally speak the Malay language.

Several groups have come out in support of the plight of the Kampung Chitti residents, including Hindraf and writers group Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan.