Penang Forum, the NGO under attack by state DAP leaders over a letter it sent to Unesco, has had enough of the disparaging remarks hurled at it over the past two weeks.

In a rebuttal today, Penang Forum – a coalition of 12 local NGOs – called on the state, its agencies and politicians to cease all further “unjustifiable and uncalled-for attacks” on the NGO.

The NGO urged the state leaders to work together with the National Heritage Department, Unesco and civil society in solving the issue of whether the Transport Master Plan (TMP) has a negative impact on George Town world heritage site.

“We are committed to rising above vicious rhetoric, and stay focused in our pursuit of transparency, good governance and civil society engagement through reason and facts,” said Khoo Salma Nasution (photo, left), spokesperson for Penang Forum, at a press conference in George Town today.

Also present were Penang Heritage Trust president Lim Gaik Siang, and Penang Forum members, Anwar Fazal (photo, right) and Lim Mah Hui.

The NGO expressed shock at the “vitriol and headline-grabbing rhetoric” targeted against Penang Forum over the letter dated June 23, which requested Unesco for an advisory mission and impact assessment on the proposed TMP.

It wanted Unesco to evaluate the impact of TMP along the boundary of the George Town World Heritage Site’s buffer zone, an exercise it said was a normal one.

The letter, signed by Mah Hui, who is also a Penang Island City Councillor, was sent without informing the state government or George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), the agency entrusted to protect and preserve the heritage site.

“The attacks against Penang Forum and Mah Hui have helped to distract and divert attention from a highly critical issue confronting our Unesco-listed city,” Khoo Salma said.

“The issue is the impact the TMO project – which features a major light rail transit (LRT) and monorail transport hub at Sia Boey, along the old Pragin Canal, – would have on George Town’s heritage (site),” she added.

"We are extremely concerned that the construction of LRT and monorail stations in a tertiary zone (zone bordering a buffer zone) of the Unesco-listed George Town will pose risk to its outstanding universal value status,” she said.

Official protector

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had described Mah Hui and Penang Forum as “backstabbers”, saying that the construction of the transport hub is not within the heritage site.

GTWHI general manager Ang Chee Ming had expressed similar views.

“If they are so confident, then why are they upset about Penang Forum writing to Unesco asking for a mission to determine the impact of TMP on the heritage site?

“They should welcome it and let it be evaluated so that there is no wrong (done),” said Khoo Salma.

She said GTWHI, as the official protector of the heritage site, should be the first to inform Unesco of the TMP project, as it was required to by clause 172 of Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention.

She urged GTWHI to explain if it has taken any steps to discuss with Unesco or the National Heritage Department on this project.

“Doubts have been cast on whether Penang Forum is justified to write a letter to Unesco requesting for an advisory mission and an independent heritage impact study,” said Khoo Salma.

“For the record, we note that Unesco has put up a notice in its website, explicitly stating that individuals and NGOs can bring up threats in their sites to Unesco’s attention,” she said.

“It further urges people (private individuals, NGOs and other groups) to directly inform Unesco World Heritage Committee about threats to sites,” she added.

“In fact, Unesco has in the past come down to George Town on other problems – such as on swiftlet breeding and on four planned building projects that exceeded height restrictions in the heritage zone,” she said.

Feels duty-bound

Khoo Salma said Unesco was not an enforcement body like the police as its main role was to protect the universal value of heritage sites and render help when there was a threat or potential risk to such sites.

If the proposed TMP project had absolutely no impact on George Town, there would be no negative consequences on the heritage site, she added.

“But if there are consequences, George Town would risk losing its heritage status,” she said.

“Penang Forum is therefore compelled to act to ensure the latter situation is avoided from the outset,” she added.

Khoo Salma cited a scenario which would happen if the state had signed and committed to implementing the TMP with project delivery partner SRS Consortium, before Unesco finds out that the project endangers the world heritage site.

She said the state would then, in trying to save the heritage site, compensate SRS Consortium for breach of contract.

“This is a similar case to the Penang Island City Council having to compensate RM20 million to Boustead Holdings Bhd for requiring it to lower the building height to 18 metres after approval was given for a taller building at the site,” Khoo Salma said.

“That's why Penang Forum felt duty-bound to invite Unesco to undertake the inspection and heritage assessment before the state signs and commits itself to a project that would threaten its heritage status.”