MOON GATE AT BOTANICAL GARDEN

Inspecting the partially demolished

Moon Gate with Aminah, Rofi & Chin

The left side of the Moon Gate was

totally demolished when we arrived

The vicious attempt by certain sector of the Penang State Authority to demolish the heritage Moon Gate site at Penang Botanical garden was spotted by a conservationist one rainy afternoon last year. He telephoned me and Parti KeADILan Rakyat sent me and the at time Bukit Bendera Chief Saudara Rofi, Division Publicity Chief Saudara Chin and State Women's Wing Chief Saudari Aminah to help restraining the workers from demolishing the heritage site.

After a long battle, Penang State Government was force by us to stop demolition. Unfortunately part of the building was already seriously damaged. The building was rebuilt subsequently.

Penang is one of the heritage city in its region most worth conservation effort. Compare to many other heritage cities in South East Asia, Asia or even Europe it has one of the most "live in" heritage sites and abundant wealth of cultural traditions within the old city.

The city was once filled with historically preserved local and foreign traditional craftsmen, artists, technitians, talents and skilled workers of traditional and foreign trades and practices. Unfortunately all these were lost through the short sightedness and incompetence of the current Penang Chief Minister's leadership .