A World Heritage Site in S'pore?
By Leong Wee Keat, TODAY | Posted:
15 April 2010 0821 hrs
SINGAPORE : Cambodia has Angkor Wat, Malaysia boasts the
town of Malacca as one and the Great Wall of China is one of the
best well known - so why can't Singapore have a world heritage site
too?
According to a tender that closes on Thursday, the Government is on
the search for possible United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (Unesco) World Heritage Sites. It is looking
to engage a contractor to undertake "a comprehensive study to
assess the feasibility of selected heritage sites ... as possible
World Heritage Sites and to recommend a suitable tentative
list".
There are 890 sites around the world, but Singapore has none.
Neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia
have three, five and seven sites, respectively.
Ministry of Communication, Information and the Arts (Mica) deputy
secretary Sim Gim Guan said the study is aimed at exploring whether
Singapore has potential sites and if there were benefits of
nominating one for listing. If feasible, this would help develop a
process for nomination, evaluation and selection of suitable
cultural landmarks and districts of historical significance for a
listing.
"The entire nomination process is rigorous, and we envisage the
entire process, should we proceed, will take three to five years,
based on the experience of some countries that have succeeded in
World Heritage Site listing," said Mr Sim.
The move has been lauded by observers and conservation advocates
who in turn, have suggested the Singapore Botanic Gardens - founded
in 1859 - as the sole candidate that would meet Unesco's
criteria.
The Botanic Gardens has strong connections with the history of
global colonial economy in the past, given its links to Britain's
Kew Gardens, said Associate Professor Johannes Widodo, a jury
member of the Unesco Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture
Heritage Conservation. "In addition, the Gardens have very
important ecological value at present and in the future, not just
for Singapore but also globally."
Singapore Heritage Society president Kevin Tan said that if the
Gardens succeeded in being listed, perceptions of Singapore "being
a very young city with no history and large green spaces, a bit of
a concrete jungle," will change. Listing it "will showcase a very
significant jewel in our midst".
But observers warned that the benefits of having a site need to be
balanced against potential pitfalls, such as a surge in mass
tourism, over-commercialisation, and erosion of dignity. Mr Tan Wee
Cheng, who has visited 247 sites worldwide, launched a Facebook
group to canvass support and raise awareness. Such pitfalls can be
avoided with careful planning, and it is important "not to be
overly ambitious," he said.
For the study, Mica requires that the contractor identify potential
threats and evaluate the implications of future re-development
plans within and in proximity to the heritage
sites.