In a hard-hitting letter to George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), Penang Island City councillor Lim Mah Hui asked if its general manager Ang Ming Chee was fit to stay in her post.

Mah Hui asked if she should continue her duties after she allegedly failed to notify the authorities about the possible dangers to the state’s heritage site.

Mah Hui was responding to Ang’s letter on Aug 15, where she accused him of being a backstabber, and for not making public the contents of the Penang Forum’s June 23 “complaint” letter to the Unesco World Heritage Center in Paris.

Saying that he writes in his personal capacity, Mah Hui insisted the letter sent to Unesco was not a complaint but a request letter to ask the world body to send an advisory mission to George Town to assist in its heritage impact assessment.

He also said the letter has been published on Penang Forum’s website.

“As GTWHI general manager, you should know that Unesco encourages individuals and NGOs to directly bring to its attention potential threats to designated heritage sites, especially when authorities failed to do that.

“So the question is, why didn't GTWHI keep Unesco informed of the Penang state’s plan to locate a Light Rail Transit (LRT) line and station in Sia Boey?” Mah Hi asked.

Sia Boey is an iconic site along the old Pragin Canal, where Universiti Sains Malaysia has 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.

'Pure speculation'

Ang had said these plans (LRT line) were “pure speculation”, but Mah Hui asked if she knew that SRS Consortium and the state had applied to Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) for approval of its plan.

SRS Consortium is the state’s project delivery partner for the RM27-billion Transport Master Plan (TMP), which Penang Forum has criticised for using reclamation projects as its funding model.

He then challenged the state government to make publicly available SRS’s proposed Penang Transport Master Plan in full as it can be easily done online.

Although it is yet to be inked, Mah Hui insisted that the public needs to study the report so it can give feedback before the contract is signed and not after it is signed.

“Once again, we call on the state government to fulfil its promise and walk its talk, or forever hold its tongue,” Mah Hui said.

Ang (photo) had claimed that Penang Forum has not formally approached GTWHI to highlight the potential risks posed to George Town World Heritage Site.

Mah Hui said Penang Forum has repeatedly highlighted such risks in public forums and in dialogues with state officials, as well as in the Penang Transport Council.

He noted that at a public forum on April 24 organised by Penang Heritage Trust, a member of Penang Forum’s coalition, Ang was asked about the matter and she replied that it was not an issue because the proposed transport hub lies outside George Town World Heritage Site.

'Fallen on deaf ears'

“As GTWHI general manager, are you not aware of the World Heritage Committee Operational Guideline that stipulates the need to adopt an integrated approach to manage, protect, conserve not only the heritage site (the nominated property) but also any buffer zone(s), as well as the broader setting?” Mah Hui asked.

“With this new guideline, Sia Boey, being adjacent to the buffer zone and part of the broader setting, could be negatively impacted by the proposed elevated mega infrastructure of LRT,” he said.

“Did you highlight this potential risk to the state government? If not, is that a dereliction of duty?”

Ang had claimed in her letter to have provided assistance to the Heritage Impact Assessment consultants and participated in the Focus Group discussion for key stakeholders.

Mah Hui said in that Focus Group discussion, Penang Heritage Trust had raised many questions and concerns and stated it was highly dissatisfied with the presentation and discussions.

He added that as an independent body tasked to protect George Town Heritage status, Ang should have advised the state government to request Unesco’s or the National Heritate Department's assistance in finding a truly independent heritage assessment consultant who is not answerable to SRS Consortium.

He said Ang cannot accuse Penang Forum of being a backstabber as the NGOs has publicly shared with the state authorities information on the potential risks to George Town heritage site.

“However, all these have fallen on deaf ears and hence it felt duty-bound to bring it to the attention of Unesco so that active and preventive actions can be taken before things get worse,” said Mah Hui.

“I leave it to you and the public to decide whether you have discharged your duties and should stay on as GTWHI general manager,” said Mah Hui.