Sabah heritage-busting project courts more controversy

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Museum authorities here have crossed swords with a state former minister over a proposed development plan which extinguish one of the last relics of the city - the century old Atkinson Clock tower.

Despite claims to the contrary by Rubin Balang, Museum Director Joseph P Guntavid has categorically denied that the proposed 16-storey complex next to the historic clock tower, here, had its approval.

In a statement issued this week he said that as the guardian of historical sites and monuments in Sabah, the State Museum had, in fact, strongly objected to the proposal.

This was even explicitly expressed by the museum vin a letter dated Aug 12 to the project consultants, Chemsain Konsult Sdn Bhd, after the latter sought the museum's views.

Rubin, the current chairman of the Sabah Housing and Town Development Authority (SHTDA) had said that he was taken aback by the museum's stand which he claimed was a reversal of their earlier assent.

According to Guntavid, the museum objected to the hotel-cum-shopping complex project because it went against the existing laws with regard to ancient monuments and historical sites.

"It is also because of the fragility of the structure of the 105-year-old Clock Tower, which had undergone many repairs over the years.

"Due to the close proximity of the building, which is only 6.3 metres to the wooden tower, the project is putting the structure at great danger of collapse during excavation and disturbance surrounding it," he said.

The museum, he claimed, only had the opportunity to view the development plan and its comments sought on Aug 19 after the development plan had already been approved by the City Council.

He said there had been no formal meetings by relevant parties to seek the museum's comments during the process of the formulation of the plan, despite the fact that a heritage site was involved.

“If the plan had complied with the heritage laws, the museum would not have strongly objected to it. But after viewing the development plan, it was clear that certain conditions were not complied with, particularly with regard to the safety of the Clock Tower,” he said.

The proposed project, he added, was found to infringe both the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Enactment (Amendment) 2007 and the Cultural Heritage Enactment 1997. He said the State Museum believes that it is cultural suicide to allow a project of such magnitude to take place next to the iconic and protected Atkinson Clock Tower.

He noted that the State Museum had suggested that the project either be scaled down or relocated.

Obscure the view

Its other objections are that the project would also permanently obscure the view of the Clock Tower from the south-west side of the city, thus depriving the city-folk from consulting its perfect time.

Guntavid said, the structure would prevent the tower from executing its function and does nothing for the heritage awareness or heritage appreciation of the city.

In the letter to the consultants, he said: "The Sabah Museum strongly objects and is unable to agree to the present proposed development plan at their site, which will adversely affect the Clock Tower.

“The Sabah Museum would prefer to see a plan that takes into account the full safety of the Clock Tower, aesthetics of the site and an unobstructed view of the tower from the south-west,” he said.

Guntavid said it is, therefore, not correct to say that the museum had given the nod for the proposed development, as was stated by Rubin.

Meanwhile, the Sabah State government has been taken to task for not following its own laws in dealing with the controversial development plan.

The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) said state government leaders were play-acting and trying to pull the wools over people’s eyes over the project.

SAPP jnformation chief, Chong Pit Fah said the SHTDA boss' revelation that the plan had in fact been approved by the cabinet earlier speaks volumes about governance in the state.

"Maybe there is a hidden agenda (for pretending to be concerned),” he said in a statement after state government leaders including Chief Minister Musa Aman called for a review of the project.

Chong said SAPP was puzzled that the chief minister of the state as well his cabinet colleagues such as Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun as well as Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Dr Yee Moh Chai were now making statements as though they didn’t know that they had already approved the project.

“Many are wondering about their statements since they (the Cabinet) were the ones who had approved the project in the first place,” he said.

SAPP leader Yong Teck Lee had also revealed that the plan by SHTDA to develop its land on which the Atkinson Clock Tower runs counter to the state's heritage conservation laws enacted in 1997.

courtesy of FMT