World heritage

Lim warned that Malaysia risked not having a Special Area Plan (SAP) for George Town prepared as required by Unesco, because of the Federal Government’s failure to provide any financing for such a purpose.

He said Malacca had already completed its formulation of the SAP as it had received direct funding from the Federal Government.

“We hope the Federal Government will expedite the allocation for George Town’s SAP,” he said, adding that the state required between RM2 million and RM3 million for the SAP.

Malacca has been provided RM30 million by the Federal Government since it was jointly conferred World Heritage Site status with George Town by Unesco in July 2008.

The Penang government has not been given any amount, even though the 2009 Budget announced by former Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had set aside RM50 million for both the George Town and Malacca heritage zones.

“Unlike Malacca, Penang is forced to source for its own funds because of the discriminatory policy of the Federal Government,” Lim said.

“We are afraid we may not meet the deadline to submit it by February next year,” he added. “I urge the ministry to be serious and not play around in this matter.”

“The Unesco heritage award was not just given to Penang, but to the whole country.”