While the conservation of built heritage is much trumpeted
by municipal authorities, practices often fall short of principles when the
promise of a shiny new development is on offer.
The most recent case
in point was the Runnymede Hotel in George Town,
a historic city and world heritage site on Malaysia's
Straits of Malacca. Built in 1921, the Runnymede is
located near the site of Thomas Stamford Raffles' home, dating to the early 19th
century. Parts of the building complex, notably the historic Raffles bungalow,
were hurriedly razed during Chinese New Year last week to clear the way for a
new mixed-used development on the site.
 |
| Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore * |
Notwithstanding the site's significance and proximity to the
nearby George Town world heritage
district, local authorities were quick to justify the demolition. For their
part, heritage groups expressed dismay regarding the manner in which Penang
Island City Council had acted, and in particular their failure to demonstrate
the political will necessary to safeguard the area's heritage buildings.
 |
| Historic George Town (credit: Hajotthu) |
As other jurisdictions with world heritage sites (e.g. Edinburgh)
have discovered to their cost, a lax attitude to heritage protection can be
enough to cause serious political headaches as one's world heritage designation
comes into question.
* George Arents Collection,
The New York Public Library.
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles.
Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47de-60a5-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
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