Waytha: After Bujang Valley, now Kg Chitty under threat

After the controversial demolition of the structure of an 11th century candi in the Bujang Valley, Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia chairperson P Waythamoorthy today said that another heritage site, the Kg Chitty cultural village in Malacca, is under threat due to a development of a hotel.

In a statement today, Waythamoorthy said that the association is “appalled” at the development of a 22-floor hotel and carpark between the Kg Chitty residential area and the Muthu Mariamman temple, which were both built in 1827 and were gazetted in 2002 as National Heritage sites.

He also said that the affected area was part of a three-zone protected area which was gazetted when Malacca was listed as a World Heritage location in 2008.

“Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia is mystified as to how a project could be approved without considering the above, although all necessary mechanisms had been put in place,” he said.

Waythamoorthy said that the development could cause damage to temple structures, and the Kg Chitty residences might also lose their originality as a result.

He also said that the previous Malacca chief minister, Mohd Ali Rustam, did interfere in the matter in January this year to get the state land office to acquire the land, but development is continuing unabated at the moment.

“Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia fails to understand why there was no collective attempt by all the relevant agencies to gazette this piece of land then in 2002 as it was within the vicinity of Kg Budaya Kg Chitty or even after 2008 under their Special Area Plan Conservation Management plan,” he said.

“Even after issuing a notice to acquire the said land in 2013, it is obvious that the related government agencies have not paid any heed to stopping the development,” he added.