Who will stop illegal demolition of 'heritage' building?

Maybe Guan Eng ask the developer to remove the building to Malacca ! Guan Eng should be held responsible for the demolition of this heritage building .

The building before it was torn down



















The building after it was torn down




















Last week, a mansion on the land was demolished and was done without approval given by the Municipal Council of Penang Island (MPPP).

The matter was reported in a Chinese daily, Kwong Wah Yit Poh.

I believed that the local council was waiting for a report on the possible heritage status of the mansion before deciding whether a demolition order can be given. If I am not mistaken this propert is listed under heritage listings and cannot be torn down , just like Lim Kean Siew's house called Hardwicke along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah , where the planning is you you have to build around it .

It is shocking that owners can flout the law so easily. The owners and "others" may say that the mansion has yet to be listed as "heritage."

If buildings can be demolished and the council will just fine the owners, NO HERITAGE BUILDING in Penang is safe.

What can prevent owners from demolishing any building including those listed as heritage?

If a fine is the only deterrence, we might as well kiss the UNESCO listing goodbye.

The only effective deterrence is to deny planning permission in the next 20 to 50 years!

There was a case where YTL torn down a non significant piece of garage quite some years back on their property opposite and facing Boon Siew's City Bayview and beside the E & O Hotel . Until today they were not able to begin construction of a hotel in that property .