Too Close for Chitty Folk, page 14
The Star, 22nd Nov 2009
Residents of the 16th century Chitty community in Gajah Berang, which is a heritage village, are concerned about high rise development work 15 meters away from their 187 year old temple. Residents fear that piling and construction work may cause structural damage to the temple which is also a lure for tourists.
Here is another instance of authorities recklessly going ahead with development with scant regard to heritage villages and heritage sites. The government should realise that the Chitty community is a community of historical significance. They are a testament to historical role played by Melaka in regional trade dating back at least 500years. This community is truely a Malaysian community as it is a community that is a result of Indian Malay intermarriage.
The Human Rights Party urges the authorities to treat such communities, their traditional abodes and places of worship with consideration that is approporiate to their significance to the nation as a whole. Too mauch has been lost because of narrow racial and religious bigotry already.
Sugumaran Apparu
Protem Committee Member
Human Rights Party Malaysia
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