[Kampung Chetti
residents want heritage and culture departments at state and federal levels to
stop current development project.]
PETALING
JAYA: State
and federal government agencies have been called on to save heritage site,
Kampung Chetti in Malacca and stop a development project that threatens to
destroy the heritage of the community.
T Sithambaram Pillay, who
heads the action committee opposing the development project said in a press
statement.
“We want the Tourism and
Culture Ministry, Melaka Museum Corporation (Perzim) and the National Heritage
Department to intervene and stop this project which is located at the site
known as Lot 93,” he said.
Malacca Chief Minister Idris
Haron has also been asked to make his stand clear in relation to the heritage
village of the Malacca Chettis.
“We are begging the Malacca
government to end the project. We also want Idris to make his stand to save our
village,” said T Sithambaram Pillay in a press statement.
On 17 Dec 2013, there were
reports that the state government had approved construction of two condominiums
with 22 floors each, a 12 floor hotel and a six floor parking lot at the
heritage site. [READ THE REPORT HERE]
The project was stopped by
the former Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam last year (2012) but has been
revived and given the green light by the current state administration after the
13th general election in May 2013.
Since the news broke – HERE – various groups such as Hindraf
and Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department P Waythamoorthy have voiced
their objections over the development project.
Waythamoorthy has questioned
the silence of Heritage Commissioners on the matter.
Kampung Chetti in Malacca has
existed since 1414. Both the state and federal government have given the
village national heritage status. In addition, the village is also Unesco World
Heritage site.
(K Pragalath, Free Malaysia Today, 30 December 2013.
Kavyan says: Malaysia May Lose World Heritage Status)
