Goodbye to colonial feel (Star Article About Ng Boo Bee and Chung Siew Ying Properties)

(NB: Ng Boo Bee's name was also spelt Gan Goh Bee as in this article and Gan Ngoh Bee etc.)

The Star
Features
Saturday June 30, 2007

Goodbye to colonial feel

By CHRISTINA CHIN 

THE Penang Municipal Council's RM16mil development project to upgrade the Esplanade and Light Street area should not result in one of the state's most prominent landmarks losing its character. 

With work on the 101-year-old courthouse, the new seven-storey carpark and lower court building in Light Street nearing completion, the restoration of Chung Siew Ying mansion completed with a shiny, new adjacent building and the Esplanade undergoing a facelift, this popular tourist attraction and historical area could lose its quaint charm to urbanisation.  

Changing face: An old picture of the clock tower at the end of Light Street and...

Conservation consultant Tan Yeow Wooi, 47, said the whole area was “so congested with vehicles and buildings” now. 

“The building of the new structures and the upgrading and landscaping works did not take into account what the early town planners intended. As a result, we have lost the whole colonial feel of the place. 

“The early town planners had foresight. Everything they did had a reason. Everything was designed by taking into account the entire area – unlike now. 

...Bangunan Dewan Perniagaan Melayu behind the clock tower. According to conservation consultant Tan Yeow Wooi, the location of the building is the result of poor town planning.

Tan: Even little things can change the feel of the area.

“The council has good intentions to spruce up the place but it is spoiling the original lure of Light Street and Esplanade by not thoroughly understanding the history of the place,” he said, adding that the council should as far as possible, recreate the ambiance and facade of the old Light Street and Esplanade. 

“Back in the old days, Light Street was called Po Le Khau. The local Chinese could not pronounce ‘police’ so they called it ‘po le’, referring to the police station along the street. 

“Today, the new buildings are really taking on a ‘po le’ (glass in Hokkien) facade – how ironic! 

“Even little things can change the feel of the area. For example, planting trees at places that block the view of existing monuments, installing modern-looking street lights, using multi-coloured spotlights to illuminate heritage buildings like the State Assembly building, painting old buildings in loud, gaudy colours and erecting barriers to the Esplanade field,” he said.  

Tan, a graduate of Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University in architecture, said the area had many heritage-rich buildings like the Edinburgh Lodge which used to be in front of Dewan Sri Pinang before it was destroyed, Fu Thay Siu mansion (now Hong Leong Bank), Gan Goh Bee mansion (now Bank Negara) and Chung Siew Ying mansion. 

“Some of the mansions were destroyed during World War II while others were renovated and lost some of their distinctive features like the Chinese archways and impressive pillars.  

“We must restore, not renovate. We need to properly restore what's left and the only way to do that is to retrace our history,” he said, adding that the challenge was to conduct “restoration that was practical to modern society”. 

With the 100-year-old Government House (once official residence of Captain Francis Light) in Convent Light Street set to undergo major repair works, Tan's reminder is timely in ensuring that George Town is listed as a Unesco heritage city, along with Malacca. 

New look: The restored Chung Siew Ying mansion and ther adjacent Wisma Great Eastern.

When contacted, state executive councillor Teng Chang Yeow said the upgrading and beautification works were under the council's jurisdiction. 

“The state was not consulted on the plans that were approved many years back. The council's effort to improve on the facilities and landscape is good but if the overall work does not benefit the people and destroys the ‘character’ of Esplanade, we will step in,” said Teng, who is also the state Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman. 

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Need to retain character and charm

ANY development in a historical area like Light Street and Esplanade must be in line with Penang's identity and culture. 

This is the view of several Penangites interviewed. 

It may be more costly and require detailed planning, but the effort will be worth the while, Ridzuan Abdullah, 56, said. 

“There are several heritage buildings in the area so it is important that new buildings do not stick out like a sore thumb. The essence and concept of the architectural designs must be in line with existing heritage buildings, otherwise the area will lose its character and charm. 

“Tourists want to see a ‘Malaysian style’ building, not gleaming, glass skyscrapers. One example is the new courthouse multi-storey carpark next to Dewan Sri Pinang. The design is too modern.  

Gone: An old postcard of Bermont's Monument on the Esplanade which was destroyed during World War II. It was placed strategically so that people standing at the far end of the street could see it from a distance.

“Perhaps we can look into building wooden structures that can one day be considered heritage buildings in their own right. 

“This can be our legacy to the future generations because wooden structures with intricate carvings are works of art unique to Malaysia,” the retired civil servant who jogs regularly at the Esplanade, said.  

“Malacca has done a great job in balancing development without losing her identity – so why can't we do the same? The suitability of a building's design and landscaping in relation to the overall feel of the place must always be taken into account,” he said. 

M. Nathan, 58, feels that the local authorities did a good job upgrading and developing the Light Street and Esplanade area. 

Teoh: We have been around for about 50 years.

“We cannot stop new buildings from coming up. So long as the existing heritage structures like the former Chung Siew Ying mansion are restored and not left in ruins, we should encourage development. 

“When I was young, I would be up jogging around the area by 6am and would see newspaper vendors collecting newspapers from the mansion, which was the Straits Times office then. Today the building is still here and has been given a new lease of life as Wisma Great Eastern.  

“I think it is wonderful that the old trees in front of the mansion are still around. The new building next to the mansion also complements the heritage building beautifully,” he said. 

Light Street and Esplanade may have undergone some major face-lifts but some familiar establishments have managed to stand its ground in the face of development. 

The Sin Hoe Peng coffeeshop, which was originally located behind the Chung Siew Ying mansion, has since moved to a pre-war shophouse nearby. 

Coffeeshop owner Teoh Sian Cheng, 51, said they had been serving customers since Merdeka. 

“We have been around for about 50 years. My father started this business in a shack behind the mansion and we got our name from the restaurant next to us. 

The place was called Hoe Peng. The restaurant closed down and we moved to the front of the mansion.  

“Then six years ago, we moved again to this double-storey shophouse. I don’t think all that much has changed - at least now for Sin Hoe Peng. All I know is that I keep getting older,” he smiled.