Penang urged to enforce safety checks for ageing heritage buildings after Armenian Street incident

 

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 6 — The Association of Tourism Attractions Penang (ATAP) has called on the Penang government to introduce a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety of tourists, particularly those visiting the George Town World Heritage Site.

ATAP chairman Datuk Ch’ng Huck Theng said guidelines and regulations should be introduced to ensure all heritage and pre-war buildings within the Unesco-listed site are safe.

“The state must introduce a full plan that includes an inspection plan by the authorities to check the safety of the structures, and there should also be incentives to encourage building owners to restore and upkeep their premises,” he said in an interview with Malay Mail recently.

He said affordability could be an issue for some property owners, and the state government could provide grants to assist them.

“They have introduced heritage grants before, so they can continue this, especially for owners of dilapidated pre-war houses,” he said.

Apart from grants, Ch’ng said state authorities could consider other incentives, such as discounts on assessment fees or quit rent for owners who restore their pre-war properties.

“We are talking about pre-war properties that are linked, most of these are terraced, so if one structure is unsafe, it could affect the others in the same row,” he said.

Ch’ng was commenting on the recent incident involving the collapse of a beam at a pre-war building along Armenian Street, which left two Sri Lankan tourists injured.

He said dilapidated pre-war houses were not only an eyesore but also posed a danger to tourists and residents alike.

“We are a Unesco heritage site known for its heritage buildings, so we must also bear the responsibility to ensure these buildings are preserved and kept in good condition,” he said.

He said local authorities could also provide building owners with options when it comes to restoring their properties.

“Of course, they must maintain their buildings, but those who cannot afford it should be given options on how to do it without it being over their budget,” he said.

Ch’ng added that some building owners were also large property developers or investment buyers.

“Some of them purchase these properties and leave them to rot. This is wrong and a danger to everyone, so the authorities must do something about this,” he said.