INGENIEUR
PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
Preserving Our Heritage
When the Penang state Government revised the George Town Special Area Plan ( SAP ) recently , it emphasised the preservation of its UNESCO World Heritage Site , apart from making it a business-friendly area . However , the unexpected demolition of a colonial-style bungalow in Fraser ’ s Hill in mid-2020 without consulting the National Heritage Department ( Jabatan Warisan Negara ) disappointed the Department which stated that the public should understand that the responsibility for the preservation and protection of heritage buildings or sites is not solely under the Department , but also the responsibility of the state , local Government , community and individuals .
Professor Henry Fraser chose the topic “ Heritage is Wealth ” when he spoke on the contribution of physical and cultural heritage to a nation ’ s economy . Another preservationist views heritage buildings as the physical manifestation and embodiment of memory . As such , if allowed to be demolished , it will be wiped out from one ’ s memory forever . A Hong Kong media in December 2020 reported the suspension of the demolition of the centuryold underground reservoir with a cavernous chamber featuring soaring brick arches at Bishop Hill by Hong Kong authorities after some public pressure . This should serve as a wake-up call to professionals and developers alike on the
awareness and sentiments of the general public towards the value of heritage buildings .
With this in mind , all professionals , including practising engineers , should take cognisance of the value of heritage in the built environment that they are involved with . The role of professionals is not limited to the preservation of heritage buildings but also the impact of new development to the heritage sites . The article on “ Importance of Heritage Impact Assessment in Infrastructure Projects ” illustrates in detail the negative and external visual effect of new projects on heritage sites . As heritage sites play an important role as tourist attractions , they will be disappointed if they fail to take photographs of the heritage site due to obstructions .
The issue of conflicts in the conservation of buildings has become an increasingly important global problem . Such conflicts often arise when the roles , responsibilities and boundaries of each stakeholder are not clear from the beginning . A good overview of this issue is well described in the article “ Managing Building Conservation Conflicts ”.
I hope this issue will create greater awareness among engineers on their responsibilties towards preserving heritage in their practices .
Dato ’ Ir . Haji Mohamad Zulkefly bin Sulaiman President , BEM
4 VOL 85 JANUARY - MARCH 2021