TWO dozen delegates from the Badan Pelestarian Pusaka Indonesia (Indonesian National Heritage Trust) on a capacity-building trip to Penang spent almost three days taking in the historical sights of George Town.

Comprising architects, planners, urban designers, archaeologists, heritage property owners, lecturers, government officers and journalists, their visit was in part, to learn about the city?s success in preserving its historical structures and living heritage within.

Not long after touching down at the airport on Friday, they were whisked to the Penaga Hotel ? converted from a cluster of 15 pre-war terrace and shophouses along Hutton Lane, Transfer Road and Clarke Street ? for the first stop of their tour.

They next visited the premises of their host for the day, the Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) for a brief talk by PHT honorary secretary Clement Liang, before heading to Logan?s Memorial in front of the court complex.

The entourage then visited the Street of Harmony (Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling), taking in the sights of the St George?s Church, Kuan Yin Temple, Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Ka-pitan Keling Mosque and the Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh, as well as the various shop-lined side roads in between.

Writer-cum-PR officer Nirmala Ratimanjari found it remarkable that one can just walk around the city and find historical buildings that are still being inhabited, something seldom found in other heritage sites.

?We have a lot of historical buildings too but most of them are neglected,? she said, expressing her hope that their local governments would step up efforts in preserving them.

Having been in George Town once prior to the Unesco World Heritage listing, she notices a difference, adding, ?Things are quite exotic now, it?s old, but definitely not old and boring!?

Architect Arya Abieta said many locations in Indonesia faced the same dilemma of how to protect their historical structures and preserve their living heritage.

Citing Jakarta as an example, he said that the population drops from around 15 million during the day to just nine to 10 million at night.

?It becomes a ghost town after office hours because nobody wants to live there. Here it?s different and we?re quite surprised.

?It?s interesting to understand how a city can become a Unesco Heritage Site and have people living within it. This visit has given a lot of ideas that I will take back home and discuss with the relevant bodies.

?We?ll try to find ways to encourage people to live in and maintain our heritage buildings. Something needs to be done about our historical areas,? Abieta said.

PHT president Khoo Salma Nasution believes the Street of Harmony is a very good destination for any first-time visitor to Penang, as it exemplifies the city?s unique ethnic diversity.

As the majority of Indonesians visitors are in Penang for medical tourism, Khoo believes that efforts should also be made to promote local heritage and cultural attractions and show that Penang has much more to offer.

?When it comes to promoting George Town, it shouldn?t only be to Westerners. We should also think of our Asean neighbours,? she added.

On Friday night, the group was hosted to a dinner at the Dapur Restaurant in Logan?s Building, Beach Street, by George Town World Heritage Inc.

They attended a heritage forum and workshop the next day, and had more sightseeing in George Town on Sunday before leaving for home.

SOURCE: The Star

State Barisan Nasional (BN) working committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, said the RM1.2 billion project would be implemented soon.

To this end, an agreement will be inked between Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in Putrajaya on Thursday.

Dr Teng said the deal showed that the federal government had not forsaken Penang although the BN was no longer at the helm.

“The project demonstrates that the BN federal government has not marginalised the state government led by the opposition pact, as claimed by Lim Guan Eng,” he told reporters here on Monday, May 30.

Dr Teng said that for the past 50 years, the BN government had been giving attention to the state’s water supply needs, which included the construction of Air Itam, Teluk Bahang and Mengkuang dams. –Bernama

SOURCE: The Edge Property

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THE Pulau Tikus and Jelutong markets are up next for upgrading works in the Penang Government’s effort to uplift markets in the state.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said two tenders, at RM877,754 and RM810,370 respectively, had been approved to upgrade the markets.

“The Pulau Tikus Market is the fifth market on the island where we have started upgrading works.

“The market was handed over to the contractor ‘ Bintang Pelangi Enterprise ‘ on April 29 and work is expected to take eight months,” Lim said during a visit to the 55-year-old market on Saturday.

He said the last time any work had been done to the market was in 2005 when the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) repaired leaks in the roof.

MPPP building director Yew Tung Seang said upgrading works would be done in four stages.

“The wet market and toilets will be covered under the first stage which has already started. This will be followed by work on stalls selling chicken and pork, then the upgrading of the walkway surrounding the market and finally, the market?s hawker centre,” Yew said, adding that there were 161 stalls in the market.

He said the market roof would be cleaned and painted, new gutters installed and all stalls would see new cement floors and fresh mosaic at the work spaces.

The pathways will also be retiled while the whole market would be equipped with new wiring and water piping.

“We are also increasing the number of toilets from two to 10. Aside from this, one disabled-friendly toilet will be built,” Yew said.

For the Jelutong Market, Yew said upgrading works would also take eight months and be carried out in five phases.

“The contractor, Noor Azhar Enterprise, will tackle the outside stalls first followed by the fish stalls in the wet market.

“The third and fourth phases will also involve the wet market, specifically the vegetable stalls, while the last phase will cover external works including new fencing surrounding the market,” Yew said during a visit to the site by Lim yesterday.

He said new wiring and water piping would also be installed.

He said special features would include the upgrading of the market?s facade and the building of a new entranceway at the 40-year-old market’s main entrance facing Lorong Penaga.

“There are a total of 79 stalls in the market. Possession of the complex will be handed to the contractor on June 2 with the targeted completion date on Feb 1 next year,” Yew said.

Lim, who talked to traders and market-goers during his visit to the Jelutong Market yesterday, said that out of the 23 markets on Penang island, 17 had been slated for upgrading works.

“The remaining five are new markets and are not in need of refurbishment. However, some older markets, like the Jelutong Market, have never seen any upgrading works since they were built although repairs are done from time to time,” Lim said.

Penang Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the owner of a piece of private property near the Pulau Tikus Market had applied for the space to be developed.

“The area in question currently houses a private car park. Initially, the owner intended to build semi-detached houses which would leave no parking at all for market-goers.

“After discussions, he has agreed instead to a mixed development project with a basement car park that will be opened to the public,” said Chow who was present for both of Lim’s market visits.

Both markets will remain open during the upgrading.

SOURCE: The Star