1.0 Introduction
‘Heritage elaborate on its quality as a thing which are passed on to the future generation’ ‘ Ian Russell, 2007
Therefore, precise conservation is important in maintaining the heritage value of that particular area to make sure the future generation able to understand the past not only by books or images. A good conservation will bring lots of advantages to that area. This study report will cover up why is Petaling Street a place which is full of unique shop houses are not listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Report is done by analysing the criteria of listing. Comparison of two towns listed in UNESCO World Heritage list (Georgetown and Melaka) are done as part of the analysis. Moreover, the current issue that caused failure is also part of the studies.
1.1 Introduction to UNESCO World Heritage
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was found in 16th November 1945 in Paris, France. The Objective of the organization is to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations. Over the years, 981 properties are listed down in the UNESCO World Heritage Lists including natural heritage, cultural heritage or mixed at once. Properties that are listed acquire benefit such as the increase of media and tourist interest which able to increase the economy of the place (for more information refer to appendix 1).
In 2008, Melaka and George Town Malaysia had been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List under cultural heritage. Both of the places had fulfilled 3/10 criteria listed by UNESCO, which had include Criteria II, III and IV (for more information refer to appendix 1).
1.2 Introduction to Petaling Street
The Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Petaling Street is one of the tourist favourite spot which is popular for bargaining a lower price in shopping on pirate products and the local food. Referring Khairie (2013), the area was first started up by Raja Abdullah who had brought many Chinese labours from Lukut, Negeri Sembilan for tin mining.
During that time, area along Petaling Street, Jalan Sultan and Jalan Tun HS Lee are concentrated by Chinese who do trading and tin mining, and slowly it is named as the Chinatown. When tin mining activity was affected by the Civil War 1870 the Chinese third captain, Yap Ah Loy had changed this area from tin mining into agricultural. Only then, Petaling Street is called as ‘Chee Cheong Kai’ with a meaning of Starch Factory Street. Shop houses were built as residential and business.
Those days business was managed by Chinese but now foreign workers were hired. In 2003, a green roof – the green dragon with two Chinese styled arches are added in both end of the street and so it had made Petaling Street a roofed pedestrian (Figure 2). The activities here started from early morning till late midnight.
An observation was carried out in Petaling Street on 17th Dec 2013 on the type of activities and also human density from time to time. Result as per shown in Table 1
2.0 The loss of human values
The first criteria that Melaka and Georgetown had manage to full fill the UNESCO World Heritage is ‘to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design’ (refer to appendix 1) which bring a definition that the particular area able to shows the multi-cultural human values of all the races living together, accepting the culture and life style of each other.
Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, Georgetown Penang which is also known as Pitt Street is one of the examples showing multi-cultural lifestyle of Malaysians. Muslim’s mosque, Hindu’s temple, Buddhist’s temple and also Christian’s Church found in the same street (Figure 4), this had indirectly show mixed up the culture at the area and managed to show to the interchange of human values.
Although, Malaysia are made up of multi races, but looking into the history of Kuala Lumpur (referring back to introduction), Petaling Street had gather up most of the Chinese in the past and the culture was remained, there are no interaction or culture exchange between the other races such as Malay or Indian, this had brought Petaling Street both advantages and disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is, it had against the criteria ii (refer to appendix 1) of UNESCO World Heritage listing criteria.
In additional, the young generations who rather work for others based on their own interest than taking over the traditional business from the old had gave a chance to the foreign workers. These workers are mainly made up from Bangladesh, Vietnamese and Nepalese which some of them works without permits (Vlah1, 2013).
The massive hiring of legal or illegal foreign workers had reduced the number of Chinese (not include visitors) and also pulled Petaling Street seems like a Bangladesh Street or a Nepalese Street which indirectly shows the loss in originality of human and cultural values at this area. An observation was carried out on 26th February 2014 (Wednesday) on the numbers of foreign workers in different stall. The pie chart below, showing the result of observation which had proof foreign workers are widely used in this area. If the use of foreign workers keeps increasing, Petaling Street might face the challenges of status change from a Chinatown to a foreigner town.
Furthermore, the business set up along the street selling pirate goods such as handbags, sunglasses, wallets, watches and clothes of different brand had also show the loss of human values at Petaling Street. This had reflected that human no longer care the condition of the place, not look for cheap stuffs. Moreover, seller tends to follow the consumers demand replacing the traditional trades into pirate products for a better interest.
Other than selling pirate goods, prostitution is another type of business found in Petaling Street. There are two type of prostitution found in this area which includes street prostitution and also brothels (upon observations and online photos). Referring to a report by The Star Online, 2007 the customers are mainly made up of foreigners and prostitutes are locals (for more information refers to appendix 2). Although most of it can only be found at the back alley of Petaling Street and in front of certain motels, but still it shows the loss of human morality. In additional, prostitution not only lowers down the human value but also guidance towards the crime or the abuse of drugs.
Over the years, the early Chinese cultures of Petaling Street were swept away by the new generations and activities. Old shop houses doing traditional business with residential at the back of the shops are slowly turning into hotels or leaved empty. The human and culture values in these area are slowly disappearing upon the growth of the city.
3.0 Modernization a catalyst of vanishing cultural tradition
Referring to appendix 1 the second criteria that both Georgetown and Melaka had able to achieve is criteria iii which is defined as ‘to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared’. The selected sites are able to conserve at least the unique cultural tradition of the area.
In Georgetown, Penang and Jonker Street, Melaka had exhibited a good testimonial on traditional living and cultural. Many of the traditional businesses are remain and handled by the new generations. The condition of the shop appearance or the machines used might be old, but the operations of the shops are still in good conditions e.g. a small stationary shop in Lorong Bukit Cina, Melaka (Figure 10).
A short interview was carried out on 24th Dec 2013 with the owner, according to him of this business are left over by his father. Photocopy machines used are old yet still functioning. Even though it is not any unique traditional business, but it is continuity from past generation. Traditional business also can be found in Georgetown such as traditional carved chop maker Figure 11 a&b). Comparing to Petaling Street culture of passing businesses from generation to generation is vanishing. As mention in the previous chapter, the massive use of foreign workers had indirectly catalyzing the vanishing of the tradition.
In additional, cultural traditions are also expressed in the languages, workmanship, religious festival, customs, foods and also daily life. During the Chinese New Year, all the three study area (Petaling Street, Melaka and Georgetown) are decorated by red Chinese lantern or more known as ‘tanglung’ in Malay, red cloths, colourful lighting or etc. However, upon observation decorations placed in Petaling Street (Figure 12) are only decorations got aesthetic purposes but decorations in Melaka and Georgetown (Figure 13) are celebrations.
Thni Kong Seh celebration (Figure 14) which is on the ninth day of the Chinese New Year which celebrate the Jade Emperor Birthday is another unique celebration found in Georgetown (for more information of the celebration refers to appendix 3).
Modernization is the main factor of elimination of traditional culture of Petaling Street. The location of Petaling Street in the centre of the cities of had indirectly guiding it to look forward modernization. According to Wan Hashimah (2005), economic is the factor of modernization, which indirectly means that the old buildings are the prevention of better country economy. On the same article, Wan Hashimah also mentioned that the historical building may also change the identity by small renovation or modification by the owner which supported by Jokilehto (1999) argues as cited in Wan Hashimah (2005) that a building can also be modified due to changes in function or due to changes in taste or fashion. For example in Petaling Street (Figure 15 & Figure 16), some shop house had changed it identity into hotel, which no longer using the old architecture style or not following the Conservation Guideline provided by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) (for more information refer to appendix 4). The changes of the building function had indirectly affected the cultural tradition at the place.
Furthermore, modifications of the building are also due to the old architecture of shop houses do not full fill the requirement of Uniform Building by Law (UBBL) in term of fire escape, services and also sanitation (Suhana, 2002 in Wan Hashimah, 2005). According to UBBL in Part VII (fire requirement) Unit 168. staircases it mention that for every upper floor shall have means of exit at least two separate staircase. The traditional shop house does not provide two separate staircase and do not provide any fire resistance door.
Modernization in the way of modification and renovation had changed the identity of the original function of the shop house had brought advantages where more it attract more tourist at the same time enhancing the economy of the country but losses the testimony of cultural tradition in Petaling Street.
4.0 Current architecture condition
Criteria IV ‘to be outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape this illustrates (a) significant stages(s) in human history’ is the third criteria that Georgetown and Melaka had fulfilled in the UNESCO World Heritage listing criteria of selection (refer to appendix 1). According to the UNESCO World Heritage website, this criterion shows of influences which have created a unique architecture, culture and townscape without parallel anywhere in East and South Asia. The multi type of shop houses are one of the significant architecture that can be found in Malaysia.
4.1 Shop houses
According to Penny.G (1990) in her Malaysian Architectural Heritage handbook, she mentioned that the culture of shop houses only reaches Kuala Lumpur during the 1884 which is after the civil war (refer back to history of Petaling Street in Chapter 1.0). The function of shop house was identified by its name, referring to the same book the shop house was a benefiting the early traders. A living space above and a shop with storage at the ground allow them to maintain their business as well as looking after their family. As cited in Wan Hashimah, 2005 the combination of living and retail had created a lively and vibrant urban setting that typified a living city.
Referring to Penny.G (1990) the design and the layout of the shop house (Figure 17) are suitable for the tropical climate as in Malaysia. Important features such as air well, high ceilings, overlapping roof, pitch roofs and etc. helps to minimize the discomfort in that architecture. For examples, the air well which usually placed at the centre of the building allows light, natural ventilations and also collecting or disposing rainwater.
The five-foot-way or more known as Kaki Lima (Figure 18) in Malay is another special feature that can be found in the Malaysia shop house. According to Wan Hashimah (2005), there is similar type of architecture found in England, however it have no five-foot-way. This element had protected the main entrance from sun and also rain.
4.2 Defect of shop houses
Even though, the uniqueness of shop houses seems to be full filling the criteria IV, but the main problems is the unmaintained building and also the change of façade. Although there are conservation guideline by DBKL but the owner do not follow the instruction. In additional, defect such as fading of paint, mosses or small plants growing on the building, erosion of mortar joint, cracking of wall, broken roof, broken window, vandalism and etc. All of the defects had stretched the architecture to a lower grade of shop house.
According to the conservation guideline by DBKL under façade treatment (pengekalan fasad) height of the building, verandahs, windows and etc. should be maintained (for more information refers to appendix 4). Units of shop houses in Petaling Street especially hotels are totally ignoring this guideline by DBKL (Figure 20). In additional, the uses of unsympathetic material such as metal are widely used as the window frames and also glass window are used (Figure 21). Moreover, the set back of front façade of new renovate building had caused the different level of façade which had directly against the guideline and affecting the aesthetic of the historical row of shop houses.
The high humidity and copious rainfall climate in Malaysia had caused the fast grow of mosses on the wall and peeling or fading of paint. The low maintenance of the building had let the mosses to continue growing forming a ‘green wall’ (Figure 22). The growth of mosses also caused the wall look dirty and uncomfortable.
Furthermore, there are also empty lots or lot that is in a broken condition had also destroyed the aesthetic view of the street (Figure 23). The permanent built store in front the shop houses had directly covered up the façade view. Comparing Jonker Street in Melaka stall are moveable and are keep nicely after business hours, this had manage to maintain the façade view of the shop houses.
In additional, outdoor aircond unit which are installed at the front of the building had destroy the beauty of a traditional façade (Figure 24). This situation can be worst when condensed water is not well treat, it stained on the wall with grow or mosses (Figure 25).
5.0 Conclusion
Upon completion of studies it had discovered that Petaling Street was not able to be listed in UNESCO World Heritage List are mainly caused by modernization, legislation and also selfishness of owner. The location of Petaling Street in the centre of the city had brought advantages and also disadvantages towards the effort of conservation. Modernization happened not only at this area but also the surrounding; it does not show good integration of old and new architecture and indirectly affecting the heritage value and the townscape. Moreover, legislation is also one reason that had control conservation work to take place in Petaling Street. For example, the Control of Rent Act 1996 does not encourage and has stopped the owner of the shop from maintaining the condition of the building. Over the years, the increase of local and foreigner tourist had given a chance to the owner of the shop house to convert the existing shop into hotels.
Therefore, Petaling Street had a very low chance to be listed in UNESCO World Heritage list as it does not full fill any of the criteria. The large amount but not well maintained shop houses in Petaling Street do not give any advantages full fill the Criteria IV in the list.
Although, chances to be list into are low, but the awareness in conservation on heritage are still important as it is the only way to make sure our heritage in term of architecture or cultural to inherited by new generation and not face extinction.