GEORGE TOWN: A heritage advocate has demanded the fullest punishment under the country's heritage law, following the recovery of the remnants of the 138-year-old tomb of Foo Teng Nyong, the third wife of Kapitan Chung Keng Quee, which was illegally demolished recently.
A visibly upset George Town Heritage Action co-founder, Mark Lay, made the discovery at the Jelutong landfill here yesterday.
Together with landfill workers, Lay sorted and safeguard remnants of Foo's tomb.
Speaking to the New Straits Times (NST), Lay said after tossing Foo's body into Batu Gantung, the land owner and developer dumped her priceless Cantonese stonemasonry tomb in the Jelutong landfill.
"It was a hunch that I found what is remaining of Madam Foo's tomb in the Jelutong landfill. I was in shock, anger, then set in and finally relief.
"Imagine, priceless Penang's built heritage dumped in the Jelutong landfill.
"We demand for the fullest punishment under Malaysia's heritage law against the land owner and developer, responsible for this mess. The time for a slap on the wrist punishment is over.
"Severe punishment is the only way to teach developers that they can no longer play with Penang's built heritage. Heritage is simply disposed like garbage in Penang as it gets in the way of developers' greed," he said.
Lay also challenged the State Planning Committee and the Penang Island City Council's (MBPP) Heritage Department to answer to the charges that they had rezoned Lot 1682 (the site of Foo's tomb) from low rise to 28-storey in May this year.
"This has facilitated and fuelled the greed of the developer to illegally demolish Madam Foo's tomb without a demolition permit.
"It is rotten from the top down. This must stop," he demanded.
Lay also recommended a 50-year development ban, huge fines, jail time and complete exact rebuild as the way forward.
"Nothing less will stop this money greedy people who are erasing Penang's heritage legacy," he said.
Just a few days ago, Lay had written to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) on the demolition of the 138-year-old grave, dubbed "Penang's Taj Mahal".
It was designed and built in 1884 to show Chung's love for Foo, who died in childbirth at aged 33.
Following the latest development, Lay has once again written to Unesco for its advise and comments on the matter.
The NST has reached out to the MBPP since the beginning of this week for comments, but to no avail.