An email HWMNBN forwarded me:


Hi all,
What does it take to be recognised as World Heritage Site ? We might be shocked by what Malaysian civil servants think including this guy Rais Yatim. UNESCO Heritage Site authority will never recognise a site to be of WH grade if it is turned into a theme park for tourists.

This is exactly what this Dr. wants to do (build a tower with a revolving restaurant at the top near the very site he wants the UN to recognise). This is exactly the opposite what a WH site is all about - never change the site facially, never change the lifestyle of people living in that site, never build Disneyland structures within the vicinity, never do things just to attract tourists ........ leave the place alone and let the people living there ply their trade as they get on with their lives. Never turn the place into a theme park.

Why is it so difficult for Bolehland civil servants to undertsand ?

Regards
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Wednesday October 11, 2006


Rais downplays UN heritage bids

MALACCA: Getting Penang and Malacca listed as World Heritage Sites may not be so important after all, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said.

He said the current conditions set by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) for listing were also difficult for Asian countries.

He said he would propose to the United Nations to establish an Asia Chapter for Unesco listing comprising Asian members as judges.

"It would be fairer this way. The current conditions set by Unesco are difficult for Asian countries to be listed," he said, adding that European countries enjoyed a higher chance of being listed.

He was speaking to reporters after the groundbreaking ceremony for the 110m-high revolving tower which would be built near the Stadhuys heritage zone here yesterday.

Dr Rais said Penang and Malacca had made three joint applications and each time Unesco came back to ask for more data.

"We gave the additional data when asked to do so. Now, we do not have any more new data to give," he said.

Gunung Mulu National Park and Kinabalu National Park have been declared World Heritage Sites.

Mak yong and orang asli carvings have also been proclaimed "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritages of Humanity" by Unesco.

On the construction of the revolving tower, Dr Rais said it should not be used as a reason to reject the application for listing.


Ah, obviously the panel is being biased and ethnocentric in applying their subjective standards to judge Malaysia's application. Ideally, the panel judging the bid would be totally made up of judges nominated by the Malaysian government, which would understand the special circumstances of that country.

Luckily, 2/3 of the OJ Simpson Trial Jury were Black, which is why a fair and balanced verdict was delivered in that trial.