GEORGE TOWN, Aug 17 — With Penang’s Unesco world heritage status at stake, the National Heritage Department has stepped in to issue an interim protection order on Sia Boey under the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645).
However, the federal agency also said the order can only be enforced with approval from the Penang government, which has control over state land matters.
“We need to issue the Interim Protection Order to ensure that the site can be immediately protected at this time,” it said in a statement yesterday.
The department also proposed to gazette the site under the National Heritage Act to protect it once the archaeological studies on the site have been completed.
It stressed the importance of protecting the site now before the implementation of any development project on the site including the proposed transport hub on the location.
At the completion of the archaeological study, the department will also propose to expand the George Town world heritage site’s buffer zone to include the Sia Boey area as a measure to strengthen efforts to protect the heritage zone.
Preliminary archaeological and excavation works by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) have unearthed foundation stones and outlines of several buildings dating back to the 1800s that historians say could shed further light on Penang’s past as a trading post.
The digs are to continue till completion and the team has already been issued an excavation licence up till November.
“We will send an archaeological team to conduct studies on the site at the same time,” the federal department said.
It said the initial research from the excavation works showed that they needed more time to look for more conclusive findings on the historical significance of the site.
“Other parties need to play their role to report any information, findings or new evidence found on the site,” it said.
They also called on all parties to assist by supporting the department in protecting the site.
The department director general and Heritage Commissioner Dr Zainah Ibrahim had chaired a meeting on July 29 at the George Town World Heritage Inc (GTWHI) office to discuss the issues surrounding the Sia Boey site, officially known as Komtar Phase 5, right after a visit to the site on that day.
“The meeting was to prepare our response to queries from the Unesco World Heritage Centre following complaints from non-governmental organisations,” it said.
It said this issue must be prioritised before any development project commenced on the site, particularly when the site is located near the buffer zone of the George Town World heritage site.
Based on initial findings, the department believed the proposed development on the site has the potential to affect George Town’s world heritage status.
“However, we are unable to comment or respond fully on this yet as there are no detailed design proposals or the actual location of the proposed development as yet.
“As of now, we have been informed that there were no black and white documents to prove that the LRT/MRT transport hub will be build in the Prangin area as part of the Penang Transport Master Plan,” it said.
It pointed out that recently, several structures were found on the site such as a canal and based on initial findings, the canal is historically important and has the potential to contribute towards George Town’s historical background as a trading port.
“It will further strengthen George Town’s inscription as a world heritage site and apart from that, there were other structures found on the site that is believed to be a former police station,” it said.
The site, which belonged to state agency Penang Development Corporation, is now managed and monitored by GTWHI and is closed to public.
Conclusive findings from the excavation works are expected to be announced in November this year.
