Friday, November 21, 2008

Something stinks about MPPP's approval of multi-storey hotels in the heritage areas of George Town.

The Editor
> New Straits Times
> Kuala Lumpur.
>
> Sir,
> Something stinks about MPPP's approval of multi-storey hotels in the heritage areas of George Town. While Lim Guan Eng would like to blame it on the previous government as is his habit, this time Penangites will not swallow his excuses hook line and sinker. Apparently there is a state ruling since 1996 that prohibited buildings exceeding five storeys in the inner city. And in 2003 the previous government had rejected a high rise development along the waterfront. The new regime in charge may be excused if they were ignorant of this since they are just learning the job. But to approve a 23 storey hotel in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah just ten days before UNESCO was to decide on Penang's World Heritage Listing?? To cap it all MPPP was already drafting guidelines so that all buildings in the intended heritage area will not exceed 18m. This smacks of either stupidity or blatant disregard for UNESCO.
>
> It stands to reason that when a city is applying for World Heritage Listing and also drafting guidelines so that buildings will conform to UNESCO's requirements (for heritage listing), that all plans for developments which do not meet the intended guidelines should be rejected or at least put on hold until the matter of Penang's World Heritage Listing is decided. To approve such projects in haste exposes the government's hand in pandering to developers. It is no good hiding behind the technicalities of the law (as I am sure MPPP will do) what is important in this case is not the letter of the law but the sincerity and honesty of the Penang government in pursuing World Heritage status.
>
> The Penang Government cannot have its cake and eat it. Opting for World Heritage Listing means curbing unsuitable developments. To try to accommodate the developers while applying for heritage listing is ultimately dishonest - even if one were technically and legally within one's right to do so.
> It is easy to deal with blatant dishonesty but how does one deal with dishonesty that is devious and subtle and altogether more dangerous? Guan Eng's 'CAT' (competency, accountability, transparency) of which he is so proud, is fast using up its nine lives. The Confucius saying: "Three things cannot be hid for long: the sun, the moon and the truth" applies not only to the previous government . . .
>
> I don't blame Richard Engelhardt, the UNESCO advisor for Asia-Pacific for feeling peeved for being taken for a fool. And I don't blame him either should he recommend that Penang's World Heritage Listing be withdrawn come July next year. Should that happen it will be Penangites' loss and this time Guan Eng cannot point fingers at the previous administration.
>
> Your truly,
>
> Yin Ee Kiong

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