No plans to make Kampung Baru a Unesco heritage site, says Zaliha

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is not planning to make Kampung Baru a Unesco heritage site, says Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) said Unesco recognition would cause a hiccup in the government’s plan to develop Kampung Baru.

“Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampung Baru has prepared a Kampung Baru Development Master Plan 2040 to guide the planning and redevelopment of Kampung Baru over the next 20 years.

“This Master Plan will be the main framework and guide in the development and renewal of Kampung Baru.

“To ensure the redevelopment of Kampung Baru can continue as planned, the Government is not planning to make it a Unesco world heritage site.

“This is because Unesco recognition will prevent any proposed development of Kampung Baru from continuing,” she told the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (March 13).

Zaliha said this in response to Jamaludin Yahya (PN-Pasir Salak), who asked if the government planned to gazette Kampung Baru as a Unesco heritage site.

She then added that gazetting a location for a heritage site will require a rigorous process, and currently, certain aspects of Kampung Baru could not meet the required criteria.

“Heritage recognition has three levels, starting with the heritage site (classification), given by the Department of National Heritage, followed by national heritage, given by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, and after that, the world heritage (label), given by Unesco.

“The heritage recognition at these three levels has several criteria that must be met, and some cannot be matched with the current features of Kampung Baru," she added