KUALA LUMPUR – There are no proposals to nominate any traditional villages in Selangor for Unesco World Heritage status, Datuk Rizam Ismail (Sg Air Tawar-BN) told the state assembly today.
However, Rizam, who is rural and village development; traditional villages sustainability exco, said the state government will not close the door on reviewing future proposals of a similar nature.
“We will get feedback from relevant departments and agencies if there are traditional villages deemed worthy and appropriate for us to apply for (Unesco) recognition,” he said in response to a supplementary question by Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali (Hulu Kelang-PN).
As for the recent contentious talk about nominating Chinese new villages for heritage recognition, Rizam said anyone can suggest sites for Unesco to consider but the decision lies with the international body.
“To me, it is not wrong for a leader to submit a site for consideration,” he said in reference to the recent suggestion made by Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming.
Nga’s idea was lambasted by some quarters, including Gabungan NGO Melayu-Islam, which said the nomination had racial elements and called for his sacking.
Persatuan Kebajikan Islam dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia president Datuk Mohd Foad Mat Isa slammed the suggestion for touching on racial issues and attempting to manipulate historical facts, besides harming Selangor’s future development.
In addition, Umno Veteran Club secretary-general Datuk Mustapha Yaakub said Nga lacked knowledge of history because these 76-year-old villages are now modern settlements, and the previous generations have died.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki also rejected the proposal, citing that it contradicts the Federal Development Policy and could undermine harmony fostered by the unity government. – March 5, 2024