GEORGE TOWN WORLD HERITAGE INCORPORATED (GTWHI) HERITAGE RECOGNITION AND AWARDS CEREMONY

SPEECH BY CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG

AT THE GEORGE TOWN WORLD HERITAGE INCORPORATED (GTWHI) HERITAGE RECOGNITION

AND AWARDS CEREMONY

3 January 2022

Bayview Hotel

YB Yeoh Soon Hin

Penang State Executive Councilor for Tourism and Creative Economy

YB Teh Lai Heng

Political Secretary to the Chief Minister of Penang and State Assemblyman for Komtar

YB Daniel Gooi Zi Sen

State Assemblyman for Pengkalan Kota

YB Dato’ Dr Mohamad Farazi bin Johari

State Financial Officer of Penang

Yang Berbahagia Dato' Ar. Yew Tung Seang

Mayor of City Council of Penang Island

Yang Berbahagia Puan Bharathi Suppiah

Deputy General Manager of Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI)

Yang Berusaha Dr Ang Ming Chee

General Manager of George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI)

Awards Recipients

Fellow staff members from George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI)

Members of the media

Ladies and gentlemen

Good morning and Happy New Year 2022.

I am very happy and honoured to be here with all of you in this inaugural ceremony of the George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) Heritage Recognition and Awards Ceremony.

The GTWHI Heritage Recognition and Awards is an initiative by GTWHI with the full support from the Penang State Government to honour individuals and groups with exceptional contributions to the maintenance of the Outstanding Universal Value of George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today, we are here to celebrate these achievements and to deliver the awards to our deserving recipients. This platform on which I am standing right now is dedicated to the exemplary efforts of the unsung heroes and heroines sitting in front of me.

I understand that there are 22 recipients for the Lifetime Achievement Award in the following four fields:-

  • The Mastery of Skills is dedicated to the individuals who are masters on the know-how and practices, and have achieved the remarkable master entitlement in their respective professions and field;
  • The Dedication on Knowledge Transmission is given to individuals who have displayed outstanding efforts and dedication to transmit skills and knowledge of cultural heritage to the next generation, which is one of the most essential values in safeguarding our cultural heritage;
  • The Merit on Outstanding Efforts and Dedication is to recognise individuals who have persevered through their day- to-day commitments, and have successfully supported the cultural heritage ecology in Penang; and
  • The Merit on Cultural Heritage Advocacy is dedicated to individuals with outstanding efforts in advocating, promoting, persuading, campaigning cultural heritage conservation and safeguarding such activities in Penang.

In fact, each and every one of you have given Penang more than what I have just said. As the custodian of our cultural heritage, you have spent your lifetime mastering skills inherited from your forefathers. Your dedication towards perfecting your skills day in and day out has created the comfort of us enjoying rich standards through your services, products, and performances.

The selfless sacrifice for your family and for your life-long mission, and your patience and determination to overcome the challenges during your most difficult times, are held in high esteem and will be an inspiration for our next generation. Penang is indebted to all of you, the champions of cultural heritage.

On behalf of GTWHI and the state government, we salute your commitment, passion, and professionalism. Through GTWHI, we have prepared plaques made from kayu jati and copper, signifying the perseverance and unconditional efforts to preserve our cultural heritage.

There are also photos and other gifts as well, including the RM5,000 one-off cash awards for the Lifetime Award recipients. These are a sincere gesture of appreciation from us for all that you have done for our cultural heritage.  

Ladies and gentlemen,

Fourteen years have passed since the inscription of George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and we are all aware of the importance of preserving as well as imparting our cultural heritage for our next generation.

Therefore, I call upon fellow cultural heritage champions like yourself, to actively document your knowledge and skills, to proactively pass down your knowledge to the next generation. The Penang state government, through GTWHI and various agencies, will provide the resources for this transmission effort through community-based and people-centric programmes.

We hope the current generation will look into cultural heritage-related work as something they can be proud of and are able to generate good incomes and live a comfortable life. Together with other economic fields, we aim to increase liveability and enhance the quality of life for the people of Penang, and at the same time, maintaining our cultural heritage.

Working together, we will be able to strive towards a holistic, meaningful, affordable and accessible approach in accordance with the Penang2030 vision: “A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation.”

Thank you.

Pejabat Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang Tingkat 28, KOMTAR, 10502, George Town, Pulau Pinang