Conserving heritage a moral responsibility

Pictures of Heritage building Carcosa Seri Negara. Story on historical building can be income generating for tourism. Kamarul Ariffin/The Star

MUCH has been said in Parliament by Opposition MPs about Khazanah Nasional Bhd’s RM600mil investment to conserve Carcosa Seri Negara (pic) along with six blocks within the Sultan Abdul Samad complex in Kuala Lumpur.

While it is easy to reduce this initiative to a price tag, doing so misses the larger picture of what these national treasures represent – the very soul and identity of Malaysia.

This is where Opposition politicians should not just oppose for the sake of opposing, and that the Madani Government should be given some credit for its effort to preserve our sense of pride in nationhood.

Carcosa and Seri Negara are not just colonial-era mansions; they are living chapters of our nation’s history from the early days of the Federated Malay States. Similarly, the Sultan Abdul Samad complex has stood as a silent witness to Malaysia’s evolution – from British administration to independence and now as a global city-state capital.

These sites are not liabilities to be written off but cultural assets that can, with care and imagination, be turned into sustainable engines for tourism, education and national pride.

Around the world, governments and sovereign institutions recognise that conserving heritage is both a moral responsibility and an economic strategy. Singapore invested about RM781mil to restore its Civic District, transforming old government buildings into vibrant museums and galleries.

In the United Kingdom, the Royal Parks and Historic England receive significant public and private funding for conservation, not because they yield quick financial returns but because they enrich the national psyche and drive billions in cultural tourism.

Closer to home, Penang and Melaka’s Unesco heritage zones are proof that heritage, once conserved, becomes an anchor for creative industries, hospitality and urban regeneration.

We must remember, conservation and preservation efforts are not cheap, especially of old iconic structures.

Khazanah’s initiative should be viewed through this same long-term lens. The conservation of Carcosa Seri Negara and the Sultan Abdul Samad complex aligns squarely with Khazanah’s broader mandate to not only generate financial returns but also create enduring value for Malaysia and contribute towards nation building.

By restoring these sites, Malaysians are not indulging in nostalgia; we are continuing to invest in the foundations of our shared identity and opening pathways for new economic activity.

We should remember that once a heritage building is lost, it is gone forever. The question, therefore, is not whether we can afford to preserve them but whether we can afford not to. A nation’s progress is hollow if it forgets the symbols that defined its journey.

In this light, the government’s commitment through Khazanah should not be viewed purely from a cost perspective. It is a respectable commitment by the Madani Government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to ensure that future generations inherit more than just tall buildings and highways, but a sense of where we came from and who we are as well.

The very fact that government-linked investment companies are investing in heritage must mean there will be commercial returns involved. Having said that, you simply cannot put a price tag on the preservation of a nation’s memory. When it is gone, it is simply gone.

I hope politicians can stop playing populist politics and focus on the bigger picture. Heritage elements are key in making our tourism industry more attractive. Period.

MARCUS HENG

Petaling Jaya