George Town sees restoration of 6 heritage buildings

GEORGE TOWN World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) has restored six heritage classified shoplot buildings within the Unesco World Heritage Site’s core and buffer zones in the past six years.

GTWHI has tapped the resources provided by the George Town World Heritage Habitat Seed Fund.

The latest building to be restored is No. 5 Lebuh King, which was graced by the presence of Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who came personally to see the completion.

The others were No. 1 Lorong Muda, No. 23 Lebuh Queen, No. 25 Lebuh Queen, No. 41 Lebuh Bishop, and No. 42A Lebuh Bishop.

Encouraged by the restoration works, Chow announced that Penang will allocate RM3 million to support owners of the category II heritage buildings to conserve and preserve the properties.

“I am proud to add No. 5 Lebuh King to the list of restoration, with a cost of RM370,606.40. The comprehensive repairs involve work on the building’s facade, roof tiles, windows, and flooring, all of which reflect the historical significance of this heritage site,” said Chow.

Chow said there is evidence to show that many residents in downtown Penang had relocated to the other townships over the past few years.

“From the census that has been conducted, only a few thousand residents remain compared to a sizeable population of the past. Many of them moved out from George Town following the repeal of the Rent Control Act 1966 in 2000, which led to an increase in rental costs,” he said.

But the situation may change given the time and pace of restoring the heritage spots.

Chow said about 500 heritage buildings were in a dilapidated condition at the time when George Town was awarded the Unesco World Heritage Site status.

Such buildings would collapse if no conservation and preservation efforts were undertaken, Chow said, adding many civil society activists wanted to maintain those structures in their original condition.

“However, we chose to preserve the buildings to avoid the disappearance of intangible and heritage values. The buildings can be restored and repurposed for other businesses, but the core structures remain intact. The old buildings would surely be in a bad shape now if no restoration was made.”

Chow also urged heritage property owners to impose reasonable rental fees so that their properties can be up for long-term tenancy.

GTWHI general manager Ang Ming Chee said that this is a collaborative effort between the state, GTWHI, and category II heritage building owners, who host long-term tenants to enhance the living environment for residents in heritage buildings. – August 25, 2024.