Penang has slammed the National Heritage Department (NHD) for announcing a proposed interim protection order (IPO) on Sia Boey in the media before discussing the matter with the state government.

“The proposal to gazette Sia Boey under the National Heritage Act 2005 should be discussed in depth with the state government before going to town about in the press,” Jagdeep Singh Deo told the NHD, at a press conference in Komtar today.

“When the same issue happened in Malacca, the NHD did not issue a statement in the press before discussing it with the state government,” added the Penang executive councillor.

Accompanying Jagdeep at the press conference was Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

He was referring to a statement by the NHD yesterday, saying it has issued the IPO on Sia Boey along the old Prangin Canal to protect its heritage value. The IPO was issued under Section 33 of the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645).

The department noted that the IPO can only be enforced with the approval of the state government.

The move came after Penang Forum’s Lim Mah Hui submitted a letter dated June 23 to the Unesco World Heritage Center in Paris requesting that it send a mission to study the impact of the Penang Transport Master Plan (TMP) on George Town.

NGOs are concerned that Penang's plan to build a transport hub as part of its RM27 billion TMP on the borders of Sia Boey may threaten its outstanding universal value and George Town risks losing its heritage site status.

Recently, Universiti Sains Malaysia unearthed foundation stones and evidence of several buildings dating back to the 1800s, revealing important findings of Penang's glorious past as a commercial post.

DAP leaders and state agency George Town World Heritage Incorporated were up in arms about the letter and labelled Mah Hui as a “backstabber” for contacting Unesco behind their backs.

Mah Hui, a Penang Island City Councillor, Penang Institute director and member of the Penang Transport Council, insisted that his actions were to protect, and not de-list, George Town as a world Unesco heritage site.

Meanwhile, Jagdeep expressed shock over plans to extend the Unesco World Heritage site in George Town, which the National Heritage Department (NHD) announced in a statement yesterday.

Jagdeep said Penang was willing to consider any proposals by the NHD that comes with financial and technical support from the federal government.

“However, it is out of the ordinary for the NHD to make such announcements without the knowledge of the Penang government,” said the Dato Keramat assemblyperson.

He reminded the NHD that proposed development plans on Sia Boey is not within the George Town World Heritage buffer zone although the site is near the area.

He also pointed out that the NHD had acknowledged that, to this day, there is no design proposal nor is there a proper site identified for development in the Sia Boey area.

“The NHD has conceded that there is nothing black and white to confirm that a transport hub for Light Rail Transit or Monorail will be build in the Sia Boey area,” he said.

“Any discussions about the matter in the multi-member Penang Transport Council including Lim Mah Hui from Penang Forum is at the discussion stage and consultation stage, where detailed plans are being worked out by obtaining the views of all quarters,” he added.

“Therefore Penang Forum’s reference citing Clause 172 of the Unesco Operational Guidelines when submitting a letter to the Unesco world Heritage Center in Paris on June 23 is premature and inaccurate as these are all at the discussion stage."