Regional Collaboration in the Management of the World Heritage Cities of George Town and Melaka, Malaysia
Regional Collaboration in the Management of the World Heritage Cities of George Town and Melaka, Malaysia
Abstract
George
Town and Melaka, two historic cities on the Straits of Malacca in
Peninsular Malaysia, were inscribed jointly as a World Heritage Site
by UNESCO on 7 July 2008. Their inscription was based on three main
criteria: (i) the cities represent
exceptional examples of multi-cultural trading towns in the East and
Southeast Asia forged from the exchanges of Malay, Chinese, Indian
and European Cultures, (ii) they are living testimony to the
multi-cultural heritage and tradition of Asia, where the greatest
religions and cultures met, displaying a testament to the religious
pluralism of Asia, and (iii) they reflect the coming together of
cultural elements from the Malay Archipelago, India, China and Europe
to create a unique architecture, culture and townscape, in
particular, an exceptional architecture of shop-houses and
townhouses.
The
quest for world heritage listing had been a lengthy and tedious
process, and not without the necessary and invaluable assistance and
support of heritage and urban experts from other countries like
Germany, France, Japan and other Southeast Asian countries, through
technical exchange programmes and joint research and restoration
projects (with Germany through GTZ, Japan through JICA, UNCRD and
City Net, and France through the French Government and Embassy), and
with close collaboration among the public and private institutions,
the academics and civil society in local and international seminars
and workshops.
George
Town and Melaka hence joins a number of UNESCO-listed World Cultural
Heritage Living Cities in Southeast Asia, such as Luang Prabang in
Lao PDR, Vigan in the Philippines, and Hoi An in Vietnam. With
inscription, comes the imposition of stringent guidelines in the
planning, development, management and conservation of the cities. The
Universal Outstanding Values and the cultural, historical and
architectural integrity and authenticity of the cities are always in
danger of being destroyed, not only by natural forces, such as
flooding, earthquakes or fires, but also through man-made
consequences such as the impacts of tourism growth, vehicular
traffic, poor maintenance of buildings, improper restoration and
repairs, gentrification, modernization and cultural changes. There is
still many lessons to learn in the proper management of cultural
heritage cities and in the safe-guarding of their tangible and
intangible heritage values, not only in the UNESCO listed cities, but
also in the other cultural and historic cities in Southeast Asia such
as Chiang Mai, Jogjakarta, Solo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Siem Reap and
Batambang. This crucial learning process can be enhanced with closer
collaboration among the heritage conservation experts and stake
holders of these cities in carrying out research and exchange of
ideas, experience and expertise.
Mr. Tan Thean Siew
Consultant, Town Planning and Real Estate Management Penang