Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association Malaysia (Rehda) took a swipe at conservation experts who oppose the inner city columbarium project in Penang, charging that these experts only have personal interest in their objections.

Redha Penang chairperson Eddy Choong Ewe Beng said that the underlying basis to object the RM42 million project is to get George Town listed with the United Nation Economic, Social and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

However he questioned if such a listing can be obtained by merely retaining the mere facades of buildings or wrapping towering structures around them.

"In any case, even if such a listing is achieved, how will it benefit property owners? What are the tangible benefits other than mere hubris?" he asked.

Choong's opinion is a departure from calls made by political parties and civil society groups who stand united against the building plan, which they say will erode the social and historical heritage of the island.

Those opposing the project, including landowners, business operators and even the local Buddhist association, had appealed to the authorities to reconsider the decision to erect three blocks of nine to 10-storey columbarium with a capacity for 300,000 urns.

A pro-voice

"All that has been achieved through the exertions and pressure of the Penang Heritage Trust is to create a merry-go-round for pre-war building owners resulting in their planned intentions being rendered unrealistic and non-viable," added Choong.

Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) president Dr Choong Sim Poey said under the Unesco guidelines, all development in the heritage city should add to its overall economic and aesthetic value.

Sim Poey said the columbarium proposal is not appropriate especially as there are many owners and businesses that have invested heavily in the area's heritage character as a major tourist attraction.

He added that the columbarium proposal was based entirely on the project's individual profit without taking cognisance of the effect on its immediate environment.

No consistent guidelines

Meanwhile, Choong said there was no firm and consistent guidelines regarding local planning set down by the municipal council.

Instead, he said, there was only pressure from PHT and the council's "draft guidelines", which have not even been approved by the state government.

He also asked for the guidelines required by Unesco for World Heritage Listing.

"It would appear that the only beneficiaries of this inner-city-buffer zone-conservation plan brainwave are the so called self-styled conservation experts who sell their services as such for their personal benefit," he said.

"If these sectarian pressures are not checked, the last to benefit will be the owners of the pre-war buildings to whom the benefits should actually go but do not," he added.

"[This is] because they can neither afford to develop them, nor obtain approval for a viable re-development, nor sell them at a fair market price because of these constraints," Choong said.