Anger sparks over Penang's Sia Boey, again

KUALA LUMPUR (June 6): Simmering anger over the development of Penang’s old Prangin market or Sia Boey has exploded again among heritage activists, now over allegations of excavation works happening illegally at the area.   

George Town Heritage Action Group spokesman Mark Lay told The Star that the George Town World Heritage Inc’s (GTWHI) staff is carrying out the works without approval of the National Heritage Department.

“How can GTWHI expect heritage property owners to follow rules when they are not?” said Lay.

He explained that excavation works need a certified archaeologist as an old canal and the foundation of an old police station/barracks were discovered at the site along Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong.

Meanwhile, GTWHI said they were not carrying out any excavations in Sia Boey, and that its management is following proper procedures and protocols.

“Permission was granted from the Penang Island City Council’s Technical Review Panel for works in Sia Boey.

“GTWHI has also informed the National Heritage Department of this exercise and the inventory of all retrieved objects will be submitted to them upon completion of the project,” GTWHI said in statement, reported The Star.

GTWHI also added that it was retrieving objects from “the mud and dirt dug out from the Prangin Canal, which was currently being rehabilitated”.

“Penang Development Corporation has engaged a contractor and conservator to clean, repair and rejuvenate the Prangin Canal which was launched in March this year.

“As project manager for the Sia Boey Rejuvenation Project, we hypothesised that the soil dug out from the canal may contain objects of historical and cultural value.

“In the case of the Prangin Canal, the exercise is more of a surface collection, which is the systematic gathering of exposed artefacts. To retrieve the materials left in the mud, the deposits in the canal are removed in 10m sections for sie­ving, instead of being thrown away by the contractor,” it said.