Why choose colonial site instead of ancient ones for Unesco recognition?

 

From P Ramasamy

Why the pre-occupation with colonial rather than ancient history in the identification of potential heritage sites in the country?

The proposal by the housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming to designate Chinese New Villages in Selangor was not well received by the Malay nationalists in Umno and the opposition, Perikatan Nasional (PN).

It is understandable on the part of PN to oppose the move saying that it might dilute the historical contents of heritage sites based on the Malays pre-eminent position in the country as Bumiputras.

Umno’s argument was the same, saying that as the champion of Malays, and their history and heritage, the party would not allow Nga’s proposal to be implemented to rob the country of its Malayness.

There is nothing wrong with Nga’s suggestion to propose the Chinese New Villages in Selangor for recognition as heritage sites by Unesco, the United Nations cultural and scientific agency.

I also agree that such a suggestion should not be turned into a racial issue.

However, Umno is low on political sustenance and, as such, it would turn any issue into a racial one.

The DAP leaders know this but yet, they have opportunistically entered into a political pact with Umno, its once formidable political foe.

While the DAP is bending over backwards to appease Umno, the latter has no regard for the former.

DAP might be tight-lipped when it comes to the grant of discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) in favour of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over his corruption charges and the commuting of the sentence to be served by former prime minister Najib Razak by the Federal Territories Pardons Board.

But Umno, lacking the crucial Malay support, is determined not to give in or even to reciprocate the friendly overtures of the DAP.

On the issue of the Chinese New Villages in Selangor, my concern is simple: why are politicians and others merely concerned with rendering post-colonial historical sites under the umbrella of Unesco, or some other heritage bodies.

There are five World Heritage Sites in the country that have been given due recognition by Unesco – Gunung Kinabalu (Sabah), Mulu National Park (Sarawak), the coastal cities of Melaka and Georgetown (Penang), and the Lenggong valley in Perak.

It is not that recent historical sites are not important, but the priority should be placed on getting recognition from Unesco for long-existing pre-colonial structures.

Hence, I don’t understand the preoccupation with sites of limited historical value.

Apart from the physical and archaeological sites of time immemorial, no significant steps have been taken by the government and relevant department or ministry to identify pre-colonial sites.

For example, despite the calls to propose Lembah Bujang in Kedah, as a World Heritage Site under Unesco, both the state and federal governments have not taken any initiative to do so.

In fact, there are many archaeological sites that attest to the richness and glory of the country’s history but which remain to be declared as historical heritage.

It is not merely the question of identifying historical sites and declaring them as heritage under Unesco.

More importantly, it is the process of identification that sets in motion a powerful force to add richness and glory to the past or ancient history of the country.

If Lembah Bujang is recognised as a World Heritage Site by Unesco, it provides an opportunity to understand the history of the Malay peninsula more than 3000 years ago and beyond.

Nobler purpose

It is really unnecessary to drag racial politics into the realm of heritage history in the country.

Maybe the DAP and Umno can get their heads together for a more nobler purpose rather than arguing about what features of colonial history can come under Unesco.

I am sure, the UN agency would not like to play politics in any national setting as it has its own criteria of what constitutes heritage or not.

Also, maybe Umno’s questioning of the proposal by a minister from DAP should be reciprocated by the latter’s leaders.

Perhaps the time has come for the DAP to question the partial pardon meted out to Najib. This is what the DAP should be doing rather than taking interest in heritage sites and others. - FMT

P Ramasamy is the former deputy chief minister of Penang.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.