Tag Archives: Policy

Brainstorming on Sarawak tourism highlights importance and issues of heritage conservation and management

“SARAWAK TOURISM FORUM 2015”: At the end of last May, the Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF, Sarawak’s major association of tourism stakeholders) held, with the support of the Sarawak Government, a brainstorming forum to discuss the state and future of Sarawak’s tourism industry.  Members of the Sarawak Heritage Society were invited to join. Working groups were […]

Underwater heritage off Miri coast

[updated 09 Sept. 2015] British cargo vessel Viscount Melbourne sank in 1840, some 150 years ago, on the Luconia shoals, off Miri coast (Sarawak). It was discovered by amateur archaeologist  Hans Berekoven in 2011. In a recent Borneo Post article, Mr. Berekoven advocated for an application to UNESCO to have the site listed as World […]

Uncertain fate for Penang’s magnificent colonial mansions

Say “Penang heritage” and most of us will think of George Town’s shophouses and Chinese mansions (such as the well known Blue Mansion). But there is more: up to the 1950’s, a number of imposing colonial houses, “castle-mansions” and bungalows have sprouted around the old town. Some of these buildings housed the top ranks of […]

The difficult road to balanced heritage conservation: lessons from George Town

The old town of Georgetown  (Penang) was listed as UNESCO Word Heritage in 2008. Visit Georgetown nowadays and you will see a town in deep transformation, with attractive shophouse facades without unsightly air-con compressors or bulky, ugly industrial signboards, houses tastefully converted into hotels and guesthouses.  Although conservation-trained eyes will point out to you that […]

At Fort Alice re-opening, Sarawak Chief Minister pledges conservation of surviving Brooke era forts

[updated 21/06/2015] Sarawak Heritage Society and PAMSC (Malaysian Institute of Architects Sarawak Chapter) are pledging their support for Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem in his decision to conserve the surviving 14 forts of Sarawak during the opening of the newly restored Fort Alice on Saturday 18 April 2015 in Sri Aman. His […]

Malaysia DPM stresses importance of heritage protection

Attending an event on Malaysia’s cultural heritage at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on April 14, 2015, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin advocateed for the continued protection of cultural heritage. “(…) we view with great sadness and disgust the untoward destruction of art, artifacts and documents that are part of our collective history, identity and civilisation“, […]