Historian describes the demolition of ancient several temples sites in Bujang Valley as shameful and unforgivable.
PETALING JAYA: The ancient temple area in Bujang Valley, Kedah, has been submitted to Unesco to be certified as a World Heritage site and it is shameful and unforgivable to demolish the structures before the listing.
Penang Heritage Trust honorary secretary Clement Liang slammed the Kedah government today for “carelessly letting a private developer destroy heritage sites”.
“I cannot believe it. This is unforgivable. Why are they allowing the developer destroy the sites when they should do everything to save it,” Liang told FMT today.
“Any other country will not do such a thing. We cannot feel proud for what we have done,” he said.
Liang said Bujang Valley “is a very important archeological site” and had been submitted to Unesco to be certified as a World Heritage site.
“However, before Unesco can certify it, we have disqualified ourselves first,” he said.
“It’s so disappointing. I feel we don’t deserve to be listed,” he added.
MIC central working committee member S Murugesan expressed shock over the Kedah state government’s decision to sell land upon which the Bujang Valley temple was situated on.
“Can the present state government disclose when it was sold? Was it done by the previous PAS government or the present BN government?” he asked.
“In any event, it is unpardonable no matter which government did it,” he said in a press statement.
Murugesan disclosed he was not convinced by Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir’s assurance that the land would not be developed anytime soon.
“Bujang Valley belongs to all Malaysians and its part of our history and heritage. Selling it to a private company shows the short-sightedness and insensitivity of those who took the decision.
“I call upon the present MB to buy back the land and ensure that the the historical site belonged to all Malaysians,” he added.
No action from authorities
Last Friday, it was reported that a housing developer had demolished several temple sites, including an 8th century heritage site, in Bujang Valley, and the authorities are not taking any action to stop the act.
Non-governmental organisation Bujang Valley Study Circle chairman V Nadarajan had urged the Tourism and Culture Ministry to stop the developer from further destroying the area and preserve the site.
Nadarajan said several ancient temples, called Candi or tomb temples, had been demolished in the last few years to make way for development.
He said the developer had now demolished the remants of the most famous 8th century temple, Candi Sungai Batu estate or Bujang Valley site 11.
Nadarajan, who is a lawyer, urged Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz to stop the demolition process.
PETALING JAYA: The ancient temple area in Bujang Valley, Kedah, has been submitted to Unesco to be certified as a World Heritage site and it is shameful and unforgivable to demolish the structures before the listing.Penang Heritage Trust honorary secretary Clement Liang slammed the Kedah government today for “carelessly letting a private developer destroy heritage sites”.
“I cannot believe it. This is unforgivable. Why are they allowing the developer destroy the sites when they should do everything to save it,” Liang told FMT today.
“Any other country will not do such a thing. We cannot feel proud for what we have done,” he said.
Liang said Bujang Valley “is a very important archeological site” and had been submitted to Unesco to be certified as a World Heritage site.
“However, before Unesco can certify it, we have disqualified ourselves first,” he said.
“It’s so disappointing. I feel we don’t deserve to be listed,” he added.
MIC central working committee member S Murugesan expressed shock over the Kedah state government’s decision to sell land upon which the Bujang Valley temple was situated on.
“Can the present state government disclose when it was sold? Was it done by the previous PAS government or the present BN government?” he asked.
“In any event, it is unpardonable no matter which government did it,” he said in a press statement.
Murugesan disclosed he was not convinced by Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir’s assurance that the land would not be developed anytime soon.
“Bujang Valley belongs to all Malaysians and its part of our history and heritage. Selling it to a private company shows the short-sightedness and insensitivity of those who took the decision.
“I call upon the present MB to buy back the land and ensure that the the historical site belonged to all Malaysians,” he added.
No action from authorities
Last Friday, it was reported that a housing developer had demolished several temple sites, including an 8th century heritage site, in Bujang Valley, and the authorities are not taking any action to stop the act.
Non-governmental organisation Bujang Valley Study Circle chairman V Nadarajan had urged the Tourism and Culture Ministry to stop the developer from further destroying the area and preserve the site.
Nadarajan said several ancient temples, called Candi or tomb temples, had been demolished in the last few years to make way for development.
He said the developer had now demolished the remants of the most famous 8th century temple, Candi Sungai Batu estate or Bujang Valley site 11.
Nadarajan, who is a lawyer, urged Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz to stop the demolition process.
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