Council: Penang govt not sincere over heritage property
The Penang Chinese Clan Council feels the state government is insincere over the “50, Love Lane” heritage property issue.
Its chairman Anthony Chang said the ball was clearly in the state government’s court since it had forfeited the property in 2013.
“We have always been given the impression that the property will be handed over to us.
“We were told last year that everything would be sealed and done as it only required the signa- ture of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
“But the state government now wants us to get our lawyers to provide a solution for all this.
“We have been in talks with the state government since 2012. I just hope we can reach an agreement on the issue,” he added.
The property is historically connected to the Ghee Hin secret society, the largest grouping of Chinese immigrants in the 1800s who played a major role in building Penang’s economy.
In 1867, its members fought bitterly with the rival Hai San secret society in what is remembered today as the Penang Riots.
According to records in the Land and Mines Office, a High Court decision on Jan 7, 1909, saw the appointment of a five-member board of trustees to oversee the property belonging to Eng Siew Kee Kongsi.
Things came to a head last week at the council’s annual heritage festival when Chang, in his speech, urged the state government to “return” them the property so that restoration work could be carried out.
Lim, who was present, said the state government would abide by the law and urged the council to consult its lawyers to find a solution.
Chang said the council was approached by one of the trustees and several others in 2010.
“They wanted us to take over the management of the building after seeing what we had done to Meng Eng Soo Temple, which is also linked to Ghee Hin, in Jalan Pintal Tali.
“The trustee told us they could no longer afford to pay property charges like assessment rate, quit rent and other miscellaneous fees.
“They believe we have the ability to restore the building to its former grandeur,” he added.
It was then in 2012 that Chang’s predecessors started talks with the state government.