Melaka To Step Up Efforts To Protect Its Heritage

By Fadzli Ramli This third of three articles on the rapid pace of commercialisation of Melaka's tourism sector looks into the state government's efforts to preserve the historical city's heritage and charm. MELAKA (Melaka, Malaysia) Oct 4 (Bernama) -- He smiled first, then heaved a deep sigh. That was Melaka Chief Minister Adly Zahari's exact reaction when asked about the state government's efforts to protect the city's heritage and history from the brunt of the tourism industry's commercialisation. Just as this writer was beginning to wonder if the question was a tad sensitive, Adly responded: "We are hoping the people would commercialise the state's history and heritage to form business ventures to improve their standard of living but, at the same time, we want to preserve those (heritage and historical) values so that our children and grandchildren can inherit them someday." As far as the chief minister is concerned, and being the caring leader that he is, any move taken by the state government must be for the betterment of the people. And, the commercialisation of the tourism sector is no exception but it has to be done without compromising Melaka's identity. This is because tourists visit the city to enjoy its history and heritage and if these are erased, its tourism appeal will certainly fade. It is not an easy task, though, to strike a balance between the two but Adly said if the tourism-related policies, planning and action are carried out effectively in a regulated way, the interests of the people, as well as the state's rich heritage and history, can be protected. PRESERVE STATUS Melaka, along with George Town in Penang, were declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites on July 7, 2008. This recognition itself, stressed the chief minister, served as a sober reminder to the state to preserve its historical and heritage values and observe the guidelines set by the United Nations body. "We know very well that Melaka's heritage status will come under threat if we don't preserve the city well," he told Bernama during a recent interview, here. Among the criteria cited for Melaka's selection as a UNESCO heritage site were its heritage as a multicultural trading town between the East and West; its living testimony to the multicultural heritage and tradition of Asia and European colonial influences; and its mixture of influences which have created a unique architecture, culture and townscape without parallel anywhere in East and South Asia. As per the UNESCO recognition, the state not only has to preserve its heritage and historic buildings but also the diversity of its cultural heritage, way of life and religions. HERITAGE DEPARTMENT According to Adly, the Melaka state executive council had at a recent meeting decided to establish a Heritage Department to take charge of the conservation and maintenance of the state's heritage structures and other aspects. Taking the cue from Penang which has a similar department to prevent the commercial elements of tourism from usurping its heritage value, Melaka's Heritage Department will come under the purview of the state executive council. "We have taken heed of heritage matters like our trishaws and handicrafts and have held discussions at the state exco level with the agencies concerned to ensure that our heritage is not impacted by tourism activities," said Adly, adding that the state's Heritage Department would be finalised by the end of this month. "At the moment, we have already identified the committee that will be involved in making the necessary arrangements. We've also tried to identify financing sources to enable us to implement heritage conservation programmes from time to time." Adly said after it is set up, the Heritage Department could hopefully collaborate with its counterpart in Penang and other similar departments to learn from one another and share experiences. FIRST STEP For Adly, the Heritage Department is just the first step the state government is taking in its efforts to strike a balance between the commercialisation of the tourism industry and preserving Melaka's heritage value. "We still have a long way to go," he said, adding, "There are a lot of challenges that we're currently facing... we will see how foreign elements have influenced our heritage and we will also take note of how our trishaws have changed." The department, he added, was important as it would be able to classify how the state's heritage can be preserved primarily based on the UNESCO recognition. "But then, new elements may crop up, such as conflicts between the conservationists and business community over the commercialisation of tourism," he said. Translated by Rema Nambiar -- BERNAMA