BATU GAJAH: Papan is a good representative of new villages that can be submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) for world heritage site status.
International Council on Monuments and Sites Malaysia (Icomos) executive board member Dr Goh Ai Tee said the historical setting behind the small town was authentic and has good heritage value.
"Papan was an important tin-mining town and an economic support area where communists would disturb back then.
"Then, the tin mining industry went downhill in the 1970s and 1980s and because of this event, this particular town was not developed in the last 50 years," she told reporters when met at the former tin-mining town on Friday (Dec 6).
"For Unesco, we always need to choose the best example to represent (Malaysia).
"For us, Papan is one of the good representatives of a new village within an old town," she added.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming had in June 2023 said that seven new villages have been selected to be the national representatives for submission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Unesco for world heritage sites status.
Icomos Malaysia is a non-governmental organisation associated with Unesco that works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage sites throughout the country.
Goh, who is also Iconos new village working group chair, said they have briefed the Housing and Local Government Ministry earlier this year about their findings.
She said among the criteria that were being considered for the submissions to Unesco included the planning and intangible cultural heritage for a new village.
"About 82% of the new villages are Chinese (populated), but there are also other communities.
"During the Emergency, the British gave lands to villagers to build their own houses, the Chinese could build a house with a courtyard while the Malays can build a house on stilts," she said.
"This is an identity, which can be seen in new villages," she added.
Goh said they have been trying to work on the potential list of new villages to be recognised for the last three years.
"We hope to get recognition from the state and federal governments," she said.
