Melaka balances between modernity and heritage

Thursday, February 22, 2018

In Melaka, Malaysia, tradition and modernity reside side by side. However, many regard modern day amenities like the colorful trishaws as opposed to the region’s tradition and culture. “There are a few tall buildings built exceeding UNESCO guidelines,” said Bert Tan, a Melakan who helps run the Malaysian Heritage and History Club, a Facebook group.

 
Melaka and George Town, around 500 kms north, were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2008. The designation does not limit new construction or prevent over-commercialization and mass tourism, but it does have guidelines on how to preserve heritage in the best way possible.

 
Melaka, the Malay sultanate from the 14th to the 16th centuries was conquered by the Portuguese, then Dutch, then British, and then Japanese before attaining independence in 1957. Like George Town, Melaka’s history has Islamic, Christian and Buddhist influences from near and far, all of which can be found in the local architecture.

 
The UNESCO website says, “The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.”

 
In George Town, the past half decade has seen many of the city’s old shophouses being changed into boutique hotels and coffee shops, where underdressed backpackers sit, armpits on display, next to laptop-enchanted local millennials.

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