GEORGE TOWN (Dec 30, 2009) : Political interference and lax enforcement have resulted in some properties in the Unesco-listed inner city losing their heritage values, after being subjected to illegal repairs and renovations, says the Cultural Heritage Action Team (CHAT), a non-governmental organisation.

It said 80% of repairs and renovations on buildings at the heritage site were undertaken without approval from the authorities and without adhering to guidelines.

"Over the past three months the destruction of heritage properties has reached critical proportions," its spokesman Janet Pillai said today,

The situation threatened George Town with being de-listed by Unesco, she said.

"The non-compliance with building by-laws and heritage guidelines has resulted in serious destruction of the architectural value of buildings at the world heritage site," she told a press conference at the Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) office here.

Pillai blamed the lack of monitoring and enforcement partially on "political interference".

She accused the administration under Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng of being inactive in enforcing so as not to agitate voters before the next elections.

She said the offences included partial demolitions of buildings, destruction of facades and internal spaces, as well as illegal extensions that were inconsistent with the heritage characters of places.

"The rate of destruction of the outstanding characteristics of buildings and lifestyles in George Town may mean the possibility of being delisted as a World Heritage Site," she said.

She said building inspectors from the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) were not adequately trained.

She also said there should be a new department for monitoring in the heritage zone, and noted that the World Heritage Committee under the state government still has not been registered and lacked statutory power.