Penang may lose UNESCO Heritage status
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Malaysia’s Penang island, world-renowned for its architecture and culture, could lose its UNESCO World Heritage status if four new high-rise hotels are built in its capital, Georgetown, according to reports.
Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, told the New Straits Times that his government was in a bind as the buildings exceed the 15-metre maximum UNESCO height guidelines, but were approved by a previous government before heritage status was granted.
“We cannot afford to call off the projects as the developers will take legal action against the local authorities so we must face the reality of losing the UNESCO status,” Lim was quoted saying in an AFP report. He said the state government would discuss the matter with the Culture, Arts and Heritage ministry to find a solution.
According to AFP, UNESCO’s Regional Adviser, Richard Engelhardt, had told The Star daily that the World Heritage Committee guidelines must be obeyed; “When the status is approved, the guidelines trump all previous existing regulations.”
Georgetown, along with Malacca, was awarded heritage status in July after years of waiting for recognition. Georgetown is honoured for its colonial-era pre-World War II buildings.
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