t is unfortunate that Dr. Mah Hang Soon, on behalf of the Perak Government has announced that they will not provide funds to help repair damaged properties along the famed Panglima Lane, also known as "Concubine Lane," in Ipoh. Dr Mah argues that it would be unfair to channel public funds towards the repairs of private property.
What needs to change is our perception of heritage buildings. The government clearly thinks of these buildings as privately owned and hence wield little authority and influence over the future of the many heritage buildings that are scattered across this once lively and booming city. This is why Ipoh-ites have to watch helplessly as shophouses rich in history and architecture are torn down and replaced by boring and cost effective designs that reflect more accurately the lacklustre this city is now known for. These buildings are privately owned and hence, private owners can do as they please. If Ipoh were a wealthy metropolis like Singapore or a world renowned tourist destination like Penang, this approach would do just fine as people would restore shophouses to their original form to rake in profits from tourism. Boutique Hotels in shophouses are more than common in Georgetown and Singapore. Ipoh is, unfortunately, just not one of those cities yet.
With Visit Perak Year 2012 just around the corner, the state government is trying to help transform the city so it is more like Georgetown and Singapore. It is leveraging on the glory days of Ipoh's past to attract tourists to the state capital. Yet, it is a shame that while it pays lip service to the intent to preserve Ipoh's past, it is unwilling to break away from the perspective that heritage properties that are privately owned are not their responsibility. Heritage properties like shophouses along Panglima Lane cannot be viewed wholly as private property because the heritage that they carry belong to everyone in Ipoh, not just the owners of the shophouses. The state is trying to promote Panglima Lane for the benefit of tourism in the entire city and state , hence it should not expect the private owners of these properties to bear all the costs for maintenance of these heritage buildings.
The buildings on Panglima Lane have visual and historical appeal and if the owners of these buildings cannot afford to maintain such valued architecture, then these buildings will be replaced by ugly and unexciting renovations that the owners can afford, or worse, they will continue to decay until they have to be demolished. It is certainly not the fault of the owners for having insufficient funds but it should not be the case that we allow a lack of funds to hinder the preservation of our past. If the government won't look at shophouses on Panglima Lane as part of their responsibility then hopefully there are NGOs out there that will step in and try and raise the money to maintain and improve the buildings in this famed area. If we want to preserve heritage then we must be willing to put our money where are mouths are. Panglima Lane tells a story that belongs to all Ipoh-ites, it is unfair to put all the costs of such preservation entirely on the owners of these sites.
I do believe the solution to Ipoh's heritage restoration woes lies in a concerted effort to provide financial aid and opportunities so that we do not lose the many beautiful old structures around the city. If the state government, with the aid of NGOs like the Kinta Heritage Group can identify buildings of historical value and then create a fund that will help private owners fund the restoration of these properties, we could see more buildings being restored which will help Ipoh create a tourist industry centered around its colorful and wealthy past. If we want to stimulate the local economy via tourism, then we must consider the rehabilitation of historical buildings as an investment that will hopefully pay off for us in the future. If we can help private owners restore the many shophouses in Ipoh to their original designs, there will be so much worth seeing in Ipoh that tourists will flock to see the city that tin built.
Let's hope that a lack of financial support isn't a reason that will see us lose another historic area in Ipoh. We've lost many historically valuable buildings already, if nothing is done, we will lose many more.
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