Geh has got it all wrong !!

The issue here is not whether rebuilding is the right way to go, u can reason till the cowscome home.

The main issue is THE ILLEGAL DEMOLITION. its all about skirting the law. Laws are created for a purpose, th



The whole purpose here is to prevent illegal demolition of buildings without planning permission so all people of Penang can have a peace enjoyment of life.

It helps with planning and allows the local council and government of the day to look at the big picture.

Regards

Expert questions Pykett bungalow rebuild order
Himanshu Bhatt
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

GEORGE TOWN (May 18, 2011): An order by the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) to a developer to rebuild a colonial-era bungalow it had illegally demolished has been questioned since the structure has not been listed in any official heritage list.

Chartered surveyor and land economist Michael Geh said the building along Pykett Avenue, which is connected to the family of 19th century magnate Khaw Sim Bee, does not appear in any heritage protection list.

MPPP had issued the order to Klassik Tropika Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Mah Sing Group, on Jan 11 to rebuild the bungalow as it had brought down the structure without the necessary approval.

The building was originally owned by Khaw Bian Cheng Sdn Bhd, which is connected to Khaw Sim Bee who became governor of Phuket in the 1890s.

Geh noted that Khaw was not even known to have lived in the building, which was inhabited by his relatives.

“Furthermore, George Town’s Unesco inscription lays emphasis on living culture,” he stressed. “Preserving living heritage is more important than bringing back an already demolished building.”

He added that even if the building were to be rebuilt it would not be able to revive the original heritage and culture of the family that once lived in it.

“In fact, the company connected to the family had already sold the building and its land,” he noted.

Klassik Tropika has submitted a proposal to the MPPP on Oct 6 last year for an apartment complex with four high-rise towers on the site.

The company had said it already complied with action taken against it, including a fine of RM6,000 set by the George Town magistrate's court on Jan 17 this year, for demolishing the bungalow without permit on July 26 last year.