Restoring a legacy

A TRADITIONAL Chinese medical hall that has been operating for 214 years in Penang may soon return to its former premises on Penang Street.

The three units, belonging to Cheah Kongsi, have been taken up by Green Buildings Sdn Bhd and the company is in talks with the Yin Oi Tong Chinese Medical Hall for the latter to return.

Yin Oi Tong had previously occupied the three shoplots for 124 years.

Once restored, the lots will also house a traditional Chinese hall, museum, gift shop, resource centre, bistro and lodging accommodations.

Kongsi secretary Cheah Swee Huat said Green Buildings — the new tenant — would preserve and restore the heritage value of the building at a cost of RM3.5mil.

“The renovation is expected to take two years to complete and we have signed a 32-year lease with the company,” he told a press conference.

Green Buildings director Low Teng Lei said it was the Kuala Lumpur-based company’s first project in Penang.

“This is an iconic building in the core heritage zone and we intend to preserve it as much as possible.

“We are still in talks with Yin Oi Tong for them to come back and operate here when we open in 2012,” she said, adding that the Green Building Index would be adopted in its restoration works.

Set up by Chinese immigrants who came to Malaya, Yin Oi Tong was forced to move out of the three pre-war houses in the inner city last year, as it could not sustain the business and pay rental.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the return of Yin Oi Tong would preserve the living heritage of the city.