Heritage Tourism Horror
In 1999 the Perak State Government published a very nice heritage trail map of Ipoh. It was produced by our good friends from Penang, Lubis and Salma. One of the buildings featured was in Kampong Jawa and clearly the Government thought it had some heritage value as they included it in the map. It was abandoned then, but still looked good:
Today it is still published on the Internet by Perak Tourism (http://www.peraktourism.com/places/place_view.cfm?id=8A1F8B4D-5BA0-412C-8444ABE654D29B1A) as one of the “Places to Go” but now it looks like this:
I have to ask the following questions:
What on earth are they doing bringing people here? Do they really think this is heritage tourism?
And secondly,
If they thought originally that it had heritage value, why didn’t they do something about protecting it?
I look forward to your answers/comments.
I wonder if our illustrious Perak MB, Datuk Bandar and State Tourism Chairwoman are readers of this website. Or for that matter any minister or their assistants at all. I am not being confrontational nor I think the organiser of this website is, too. But this website occassionally openly raises issues legitimately and it would be pertinent our minister(s) gives his response.
I guess no one in the tourism office has bothered to check the info, even though the photo on the website has been updated.
I read this with some disbelief. If they had included the place on the basis of photo no 1, which looks charming in a rustic way, I would have understood. But you get a picture like no 2, “showcasing” a place that clearly looks sad and abandoned, wouldn’t anyone with a modicum of common sense go, “Hey wait a minute, what’s this?” There’s a disconnect here.
IS there any state or MBI’s regulation to save all there abandoned cultural heritage site’s buildings? The Tourism Exco of the state should urgently save these buildings. Only the local bylaws could further confirm the status of all these abandoned cultural heritage site buildings.
I guess it is a blunder. There might be a disconnect in the edition of the website. The person(s) who edited the current page with the updated photo might think that the building in damaged state was what it used to be all this while.
Any persons would have expected there should be regular check on and maintenance of the sites listed in the websites, but the picture is telling. There is no such machanism.
The Perak authorities have done it again! This is yet another embarrassing misstep that will go down in infamy. One can’t help but wonder if they will ever learn from their repeated botched attempts to jump-start the tourist industry in our State. Perhaps, the culture of incompetence is too deeply ingrained into their mindset and changing for the better is just wishful thinking or an elusive dream. If the State Tourism Board is really serious about bringing the tourist industry to the next level, there should be an immediate review of all existing programs, practices and procedures. Everyone should be very upfront with his or her strengths and weaknesses, and committees should be set up to address urgent problems that require immediate attention. It is mandatory for all personnel to swallow their inflated ego, and accept the bitter truth about their inefficiencies. Establish long and short term goals and these should be reviewed on a regular basis to monitor its progress. When necessary, consultants should be engaged to provide their professional expertise and don’t shy away from tapping into the experiences of other States like Penang and Melaka. Their methodology is tried and tested, and some aspects of it could be applicable to Perak. It takes a strong leader to be the change agent and he or she should have the gumption to initiate a complete overhaul of the Department, that should run as a well-oiled machine with seamless coordination at every level. Keep track of feedback from all sources and take timely remedial action to ward off potential public relations disasters. In the process, heads will roll and that is the price to pay if tourism is to hit the big-time in Perak.
On the flip side, if the authorities prefer to remain in their comfort zone and opt for the status quo, then campaigns like the much heralded ‘2012 Visit Perak Year’ will only resonate with a hollow ring, with no echoes of lasting effect. Even more preposterous is the quest to be included as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. If it is ‘business as usual’ in the State Tourism Board, then dream on folks!!
Parameswara has been ommitted from history texts taught in school. The Indianised Kingdoms of the peninsula will never be mentioned. Ever wondered what became of the hype over the great ‘Malay’ warrior, Hang Tuah? He is actually a relative (or of the same clan) of Hang Li Po, as well as Hang Jebat and Hang Lekiew and therefore of Chinese descent!
Ipohs history is predominantly Chinese and British. I guess we will have to dream on!
National heritage is made up of the peoples of the nation, NOT ONE RACE! Anyone from the past, who contributed to our historical development must be honoured as the contributor to our heritage and as such must be remembered and preserved. TO ignore people of different races other than the predominant race in our History books and the conservation of their buildings in our country is tantamount to disgracing our own heritage.
Malaysian cultural heritage encompasses a diverse fabric of multi-ethnic influences that has enriched the country’s past and down the road, will continue to make its presence felt in the nation’s future. Interestingly, local culture and traditions have been interwoven into a rich tapestry that exemplifies the full-body richness of our multi-racial society. Promoting the dominance of one sector of the population and forcibly suppressing another is sheer folly and will ultimately prove to be counter productive because it goes against the grain of human nature. Leaders with foresight should stop tinkering with our heritage and let the past blend in seamlessly with the present. The history of our nation evolves from generations of social development. Responsible leaders should let it run its natural course.
I can but weep!The once so beautiful Ipoh everybody talked about is no longer there. How tragic.
“Your knowledge is equal to my ignorance” – the inherent flaw of the democratic system.
And so shall the majority ignorants rule!
It is also a tragic comedy but without the happy ending.
This looks like a house that was transplanted to Langkawi! Perak is becoming famous for it’s export (out of State) of Heritage Buildings and parts of. The most well known is of course “Alma Baker’s House”. Even with only the masonry left behind, movies are still being shot there. (Kinta 1881, a Hong Kong/Malaysian production). Other lesser known buildings are; a Pre-war Kampar Wooden Foundry now at “Sekeping Serendah”, three British built PWD houses from Batu Gajah, one being rebuild in Port Dickson and two are going to Pulau Perhentian. Bricks fron old Papan shophouses have been sent to Japan, and Peranakan V tiles to Penang and elsewhere. This is not to mention many more old houses being harvested for their timber for reuse, the most recent being the ‘almost’ 100 years old Lee family mansion in Menglembu.