How Do You Like This Rais Yatim Solution?
Difficult to get Penang and Malacca listed as World Heritage Sites.(The Star)
The Problem: Getting Penang and Malacca listed as World Heritage Sites may not be so important after all, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said. He said the current conditions set by UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) for listing was also difficult for Asian countries.
The Rais Yatim Solution: He said he would propose to the United Nations to establish an Asia Chapter for Unesco listing comprising Asian members as judges. (Basically what he means is that if you can't beat someone, then change the opponent or the system of judging to correct the imbalance and create a 'level playing field.' Thank God he didn't mention a 30% quota!)
The Justification: “It would be fairer in that way in giving the recognition. The current ingredient and condition set by Unesco is difficult for Asian countries to be listed,” he said adding that European countries now enjoyed more opportunities to be listed.
What Rais Yatim Did Not Say: We have been asking for trouble from UNESCO for a long while now. In Malacca for example the state government has been experimenting with all kinds of gimmickry and unnecessary accessories and imported plastic plants and trees from China to 'beautify' the town. In the process it has destroyed or at least defaced a lot of the real historical sites with coats of garish paint and outlandish 'ideas' including the present grand design of a 110m-high revolving tower which would be built near the Stadhuys heritage zone here. Why? Because there is money to be made and someone is making it. After all that we cannot complain and blame UNESCO or call them racially biased.
My Conclusion: This type of disrespect shown by the authorities to historically important sites is the reason why both Malacca and Penang are still not included, and if the state governments keep it up, they never will.
Link to UNESCO World Heritage Centre regarding Malacca and Penang HERE
The Problem: Getting Penang and Malacca listed as World Heritage Sites may not be so important after all, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said. He said the current conditions set by UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) for listing was also difficult for Asian countries.
The Rais Yatim Solution: He said he would propose to the United Nations to establish an Asia Chapter for Unesco listing comprising Asian members as judges. (Basically what he means is that if you can't beat someone, then change the opponent or the system of judging to correct the imbalance and create a 'level playing field.' Thank God he didn't mention a 30% quota!)
The Justification: “It would be fairer in that way in giving the recognition. The current ingredient and condition set by Unesco is difficult for Asian countries to be listed,” he said adding that European countries now enjoyed more opportunities to be listed.
What Rais Yatim Did Not Say: We have been asking for trouble from UNESCO for a long while now. In Malacca for example the state government has been experimenting with all kinds of gimmickry and unnecessary accessories and imported plastic plants and trees from China to 'beautify' the town. In the process it has destroyed or at least defaced a lot of the real historical sites with coats of garish paint and outlandish 'ideas' including the present grand design of a 110m-high revolving tower which would be built near the Stadhuys heritage zone here. Why? Because there is money to be made and someone is making it. After all that we cannot complain and blame UNESCO or call them racially biased.
My Conclusion: This type of disrespect shown by the authorities to historically important sites is the reason why both Malacca and Penang are still not included, and if the state governments keep it up, they never will.
Link to UNESCO World Heritage Centre regarding Malacca and Penang HERE
posted by The Malaysian. at 10/10/2006 07:03:00 PM
4 Comments:
do not forget during those S46 days he & u know who were pariahs !
There is no national pride in our system of government. If a certain building can be torn down and replaced with a condo or shopping centre then good, there's money to be made, right? Right, thats all that matters to these profiteers in power to write off any old building they deem fit to be torn down !Just look what they tried to do with the Collessium, Stadium Merdeka, Pudu jail, the row of old shops in Jalan Bandar in front of the police Station where now Ocean-UDA stands !It's money ,money and more money,... give a damn to heritage man !After all they won't be around to appreciate it for very long, right, only in their term!
The Malaysian,
"Basically what he means is that if you can't beat someone, then change the opponent or the system of judging to correct the imbalance and create a 'level playing field.' Thank God he didn't mention a 30% quota!"
You are absolutely right! That's the mentally of our leaders all this while. But the world won't give a damn to their demand.
They could only use this to bully the minority in our country for the past 20+ years.
In this global world, it's simple, you play according to their rule, not yours.
UNESCO grants money = well audited and can't siphoned out without lots of works.
Local "beautification" project account = worst than the muddiest Indahwater septic pond, can siphone as much as you can.
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