Chinese new villages: Don't turn Unesco proposal into racial issue - MB

 The proposal to nominate Chinese new villages in Selangor to be given Unesco World Heritage Site status should not be turned into a racial issue, said Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.

He said the matter, which is still in the proposal stage, should also not be used as political ammo after Perikatan Nasional MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal questioned the proposal.

"We will look at not all (proposals for gazetting) but if there are villages that are hundreds of years old, we will definitely gazette (them) as we had gazetted the Hulu Langat Geopark and part of the Gombak-Hulu Langat Geopark area including the Malay villages.

"If we look at the Geopark, included is Kampung Kuang, Kampung Kundang, the Selayang area, Batu Caves, and several other areas, including Kampung Kemensah, which are all gazetted under the national Geopark and the next step is to become a Unesco heritage (site),” Amirudin (above) told a press conference yesterday.

The menteri besar said all that had been done long before, however, in the minds of critics it is not seen as useful.

“What issues they can spin for short-term political interests do not bring benefits to racial harmony and stability in the country," he added.

Bersatu’s Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal

Previously the media reported Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming as saying that plans were being drawn up to nominate Chinese new villages in Selangor as a Unesco World Heritage Site to recognise the cultural and historical significance of these settlements.

Professional MBDK members

Commenting on Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah's statement that 50 percent of the members of the Royal Klang City Council (MBDK) should be professionals who are experts in urban development, Amirudin said, his team will ensure that this can be achieved.

"We will work hard on that to fulfil the hope expressed by His Highness and now we are trying to reach 50 percent of the representation comprising diploma graduates and above," he added.

The menteri besar witnessed the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between Celcom-Digi Bhd and the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) at the event yesterday, in addition to launching the MPAJ Convention Centre and MPAJ traffic wardens.

- Bernama