MELAKA, Feb 19 — Efforts to preserve national heritage assets should not be seen as a hindrance to developing dynamic, vibrant, and competitive urban areas.
Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP) president Datin Noraida Saludin said that, on the contrary, heritage preservation can, in fact, drive urban renewal, redevelopment, and modernisation — boosting economic growth while safeguarding cultural assets.
She said some believe that preserving our heritage comes at the expense of economic development, but in reality, the two are closely interconnected.
“To achieve this, all parties, especially professionals involved in urban planning and development, including local authorities, need to mobilise and work together, rather than work in isolation,” she told reporters, here, last night.
She said this after the National Heritage Conference 2025 dinner, which was officiated by the senior state executive councillor for Housing, Local Government, Climate Change, Drainage and Disaster Management, Datuk Rais Yasin.
Noraida said in addition to expert oversight, the enforcement of legal frameworks, guidelines, development plans, and practical, user-friendly master plans can support heritage preservation efforts, and help safeguard the country’s identity.
She emphasised that preserving heritage assets is a shared responsibility for all Malaysians, who must be educated and exposed to the importance of these efforts, to ensure that they are not lost over time.
“Apart from the elements of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) World Heritage Sites, which are our pride as Malaysians, local heritage values and assets also deserve serious attention.
“For instance, heritage elements at the local level — such as buildings, tombs, and places of worship — must be preserved, documented, and inventoried with accurate historical records for future reference,” she said.
Earlier, she said that the National Heritage Conference 2025, organised for the first time by MIP, aimed to promote the preservation and maintenance of the country's heritage assets.
Melaka was chosen as the conference venue in recognition of its designation as a Unesco World Heritage Site 17 years ago, and to coincide with tomorrow’s celebration marking the Declaration of Independence of the Federation of Malaya.
The two-day conference, which began yesterday, gathered nearly 250 local and international professionals from the urban planning industry.
— Bernama
