A CHINESE association in George Town received RM200,000 from the Penang government and the chief minister to correct restoration work to a 119-year old temple that was done not according to guidelines.

A heritage watchdog recently slammed the Ng Fook Thong Cantonese Districts Association for carrying out restoration work without following heritage guidelines.

The RM100,000 comes from the state while Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is giving another RM100,000 from his own allocation. The money will be channelled through state heritage agency George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI).

Lim, who visited the heritage property in the Unesco heritage city earlier today, said he was not interested in arguing with those, who have been criticising the restoration works, but hoped that they could appreciate the association’s sincere efforts in restoring their property.

“We are moved by their sincere efforts to restore the building. They have admitted that they made mistakes (in the renovations) and are trying to rectify them. So we are here today to see to the completion of this restoration project.

“If those who criticise are so interested in the restoration, they should donate some money to support the effort. Don’t just criticise and not follow up with the necessary action,” he said.

Recently, heritage watchdog group George Town Heritage Action highlighted on its Facebook page the “illegal” restoration works at the temple, describing the hacked up floors, and use of modern cement instead of lime over the century-old masonry walls.

GTHA also said the old murals had been whitewashed.

The group questioned how this had escaped the city council’s heritage monitoring task force and GTWHI when work had been going on for days, with scaffolding, cement and other materials delivered to the temple, while the hacking up of the floors could be heard from the street.

Work on heritage properties in the city is subject to stringent regulations and guidelines.

The building on Lebuh Chulia was built in 1898. The temple used to be on Lebuh Gereja, where the present Peranakan Mansion is now located.

The Lebuh Chulia land for the temple was donated by Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee in 1895. The site is also where the Shang Wu Chinese Primary School was set up.

Due to its age, exposure to the elements, ground settlement and termite attacks, the Ng Fook Thong temple suffered damage to its roof tiles, timber structure, decorative wood carvings, altar, murals, flooring and lime plaster walls.

Repairs would have cost some RM2.5 million – funds the association did not have.

Restoration works at the temple will now be done in three phases, with the first to undo the existing repair works on the walls and floor.

In the second phase, the building’s wooden frame will be reinforced, and the roof and outer fence will be repaierd. The last phase will see repairs to the electrical wiring and the altar.

On a separate matter, Lim said the state government had agreed to transfer a heritage property on Love Lane to the Penang Chinese Clan Association for a nominal sum of RM1.

He said the matter would be handled by lawyers and the Northeast District Land Office to ensure the transfer was done according to the National Land Code.

The property at the junction of Love Lane and Lebuh Muntri has links to the Ghee Hin secret society of George Town’s colonial days.

The building, which was managed by trustees who have since died, was forfeited to the state about four years ago. – July 21, 2017.