Dr Lim Mah Hui and his colleagues from the Penang Forum who sent the letter to the Unesco World Heritage Centre in Paris, France without first going through the local and regional heritage conservation authorities must understand one thing. Dialogue is always open to all NGOs as well as the public for feedback to the government of the day on matters of the state.
However, ultimate decision making is still upon the leadership who has the mandate to lead. This is because responsibility for the success or failure of policies and plans rests upon the shoulders of the elected government of the day.
Dr Lim and his colleagues from the Penang Forum should not send the letter that has put the Unesco World Heritage Status of George Town at risk just because they disagree with the decisions of the government of the day. One thing is very clear, the Penang Pakatan Harapan state government is an elected leadership with a clear mandate and therefore a representative of the people, while the Penang Forum is not.
Some might view the sending of the letter as a de facto ultimatum for the elected government of the day to do things their way only. Every organisation has their view on governmental decisions but not every view can be followed.
The Penang Pakatan Harapan state government must think of the welfare of all Penangites from all different welfare and economic backgrounds as we tackle the unpredictable and ultra-competitive economic nature of today’s world before making decisions.
It is irresponsible and selfish to send the letter without first thinking about the Unesco World Heritage Site Status of George Town which is a pride to Penangites. This act has opened up the potential danger of the status of the Unesco World Heritage Site of George Town and Malacca might also be affected as the status was granted to both sites together.
As mentioned before, the Penang state government has never had an adversarial stance against the Penang Forum nor other NGOs or individuals and Dr Lim Mah Hui’s appointment as a City Councillor with the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for many years is proof of that. However, our joint roles should be to bring progress to Penang together while protecting her past. What seems to have transpired may have hurt Penang instead of making it better.
Dr Lim and his colleagues from the Penang Forum must hold themselves accountable and responsible for the potential danger that might await the fate of George Town’s Unesco World Heritage Status.
Dr Lim Mah Hui has been a councillor with MBPP and its predecessor, the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) for many years and should use the powers given to him by the elected Penang Pakatan Harapan state government to take up executive roles within the administration Dr. Lim has repeatedly turned down the challenge by the Penang chief minister to take charge of MBPP’s enforcement unit even though he had complained about it.
It is time to stop complaining, a councillor’s role is to govern as there are no opposition councillors so he should help the governance improve and not just make complains about decisions that the government makes and then turn down executive roles.
If Dr Lim and his colleagues from the Penang Forum feel that their way is the only right way to govern Penang, then they should drop their status as an NGO and register themselves as a political party and seek the mandate of the people. Only then as a fully-elected entity can they truly say they are the representatives of the people and their views and only their views will be the direction that the state would be mandated to follow.
Letter to Unesco is to protect world heritage site, not to delist it
CHRIS LEE CHUN KIT is a city councillor with the Penang Island City Council (Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang) representing the DAP.
