GEORGE TOWN, Sept 1 ― The Unesco world heritage centre is sending its officials to Penang to look into the Sia Boey site, a heritage group said today.

Mark Lay, the George Town Heritage Action Group spokesperson said Unesco is now liaising with heritage non-governmental organisations (NGO) to come visit George Town and look into the Sia Boey issue.

“They would not have come just because Penang Forum sent that letter but it is because the state government demanded that Penang Forum withdraw the letter, that drew their attention and now they want to come because of that,” Lay told reporters at a press conference here today.

He said Unesco will be liaising with local NGOs instead of of the state party when they visit George Town.

Advertisement

“They will be working with us when they visit and not the state this time,” he said.

Lay does not know when Unesco will send its officials over to George Town but believe it will be soon.

Penang Forum sent a letter, signed by Dr Lim Mah Hui, to Unesco titled “Melaka and George Town World Heritage Property: Request for Unesco Advisory Mission and Impact Assessment of Proposed Transport Master Plan.” on June 23.

Advertisement

After the state government found out about the letter, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng along with heritage zone site manager, George Town World Heritage Inc (GTWHI) accused Penang Forum and Mah Hui of “backstabbing” the state.

They also demanded that Mah Hui withdraw the said letter.

The letter listed out the proposed transportation hub located on the Sia Boey site where archaeological excavations are currently being held.

Relics have been found on the site with certain parties claiming that these were historical remnants of the site's past.

Unesco has since contacted the state party, National Heritage Department to respond and submit a report and the department held a meeting on this issue with Penang Forum and GTWHI on July 29.

Since then, the department has issued an interim protection order on Sia Boey, subject to approval by the state government, pending the completion of the archaeological works on the site by the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) archaeology team.

The department will consider gazetting the site under the National Heritage Act if the findings were proven to have historical significance.