By Parliament Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary –General and MP for Tanjung , Lim Kit Siang , in Penang on Tuesday ,11th January 1994;
Tan Gim Hwa should release the full list of the Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah buildings which are on the MPPP conservation list
Last week the MPPP President , Tan Gim HWa named eight building which the MPPP identified as heritage buildings along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.
The eight heritage buildings named are: Homestead , Soonstead , Kedah Home , Shih Chung Primary School , the Second Infanty Diivision pr former Runnymade Hotel , Leong Yin Kan building recently converted onto Bikers’ Paradise.
In 1989 , the MPPP drew up a lst of 20 heritage buildings and sites along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Sha for Conservation and Tan Gim Hwa Should announce what are heritage buildings And sites which had been removed from the list.
After the scandalous and outrageous demolition of the 100-year Hotel Metropole in a ‘lighting demolition ‘ on Christmas Day without ant MPPP reaction for 10 days , the people of Penang have a right to demand to know the full facts about the MPPP stand and list of conservation buildings.
This public right to know must be honoured especially as Tan Gim Hwa had been making contradictory statements aboyt the MPPP ‘ list of conservation buildings along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.
In a loca Press on 2nd December 1993, Tan Gim Hwa announced that the MPPP had identified about 10 historical buildings along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah which are worty of conservation and that apart from these buildings , all other properties along the road have been ‘ released ‘ for development.
Tan Gim Hwa should not continue to begave as if he has never heard of the democratic principle of accountability and transparency , and he should make public the heritage buildings along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah which had been ‘ released ‘ for development.
In October 1989 , the MPPP drew up the following list of 20 heritage buildings and sites along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah for preservation because of their architecultural significance and historical background.
1. No, 11 (shih Chung Primary School)
(lot 488) School
2. No .15 ( lot 517) Double –storey corner house
3. No 17 D Maktab Perguruan Sri Pinang
( Lot 686/688/685/683) Governmant land
4. Sekolah Wellesley ( lot 222) Government land
5. No 32(lot 513) Double storey bungalow
6. No .34 ( lot 129) Double storey villa
7. No 40 , the second infanty Division Govt.Land
( Lot 132, 133)
(former Runnymede Hotel)
8. No 42 d (lot 516) Telekoms
9. No 44a ( lot 135 ) Double – Storey Villa
10. No 46 ( lot 1064 ) Hotel Metrpole
11. No 46b ( lot 1065) soonstead Private House
12. No 47 ( lot 836) ( maple Gold) Used as private club
13. No . 48 ( lot 1067) Double – storey bungalow
14. No 54 Homestead ( lot 1079) Private House
15. No 56 Istana Kedah ( lot 213) Govt . Land
16. no 67 Hardwich ( lot 227) Private House
17 . No 70 Woodville ( lot 215) Private House
18. No Christian Cemetry ( pt lot 295) MPPP
19. No 90 (lot 224) Double Storey building
20. No 43 (lot 664) Double Storey villa
The MPPP drew up conservation control guideline for Jalan Sultan ahmad Shah with three objectives”
To conserve the character of Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah and promote the preservation of existing heritage buildings;
To ensure land and building use compatible with the image of Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah as a distinctive area for good class residences and prestige establishments;
To ensure new developments to harmonise with activities , image , scale , proportion , streetscape , skyline and design of heritage building and sites.
It categorized the lands and buildings in the area into two groups :
(1) Heritage Buildings and Sites
(2) Other building and Sites with different guidance for their developments conservation
For its list pf 20 conservation buildings At jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah ,the MPPP;s conservation control guideline includes:
Conservation of Building and sites
No demolition alternation or extension of the building other than development or works necessary for restoring it to , and maintaining it in , a proper state of repair;
Limited alterations and extensions may be permitted provided that the character and architectural value of the buildings and sites are not impaired, No building or structure can be built in front of the heritage buildings , so as not to obstruct the view of the heritage buildings from the road or to destroy the completeness of the architecture of these buildings;
When repainting buildings care should be taken that the colour harmonise with the character of the building and the environmental in genera
No further subdivision of lots is allowed , expect for road widening purposes and minors rearrangement of lot
Sign board and lighting
No advertisement boards and sky signs will be permitted in the area.
The siza , colour , shape , and material of sign board s/ name boards shall be strictly controlled
In general name boards / signboard should be of good quality design and material should be of a scale and design compatible with the building
Nameboards / signboards should not disrupt the building facede and obstruct window , columns or any decorative lement / architectural feature pr project above the rroof line or form any part of the building
The MPPP has a separate control guideline for the non heritage buildings and sites at Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah , which includes:
Type of Development
For lots 214 , 216 ,, 217 and 218 near Kedah House , only residential is allowed . For other lots , limited commercial and residential will be allowed .Residential development id sonfined to detached houses and luxury apartments.
Fro commercial uses ,uses detrimental to the environmental visually and by way of noise and pollution created such as coffee shops motor workshops / show –room were not permitted.
The commercial uses in this area should be of the prestigious and fre-standing types rather then in the form of shophouses.
If Tan Gim Hwa has slashed the MPPP;s 1989 list of 20 conservation heritage building along ‘ Millionaires Row’ as well as altered the conservation control guidelines for the building and sites in the area m he should ,make then public to seek public approval so that the people of Penang have a right to take part in the development of the heritage building conservation policy.