Restrict foreigners from buying island's heritage properties, says Penang Gerakan Youth

GEORGE TOWN (Nov 18): Penang Gerakan Youth today urged the state government to restrict foreigners from buying heritage properties.

Its assistant secretary, Loh Kit Mun, questioned the statement by state executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo (pictured) that the state government could not limit or stop people from buying heritage properties as it was against the federal constitution, Bernama reported today.

"I would like to ask which article in the federal constitution says that we cannot stop foreigners (individuals or companies) from buying heritage properties.

"Our federal constitution aims to govern our country and safeguard its citizens, not foreigners," he said at a press conference here, Bernama reported.

It was reported on Tuesday (Nov 15) that Jagdeep said the state government does not have any plan to table an enactment to limit foreigners from buying pre-war buildings in the island’s heritage zone.

"The building owners have the right to sell their properties and this proposed act [to limit foreigners from buying pre-war buildings] contradicts the Federal Constitution," Jagdeep said in reply to a question by DAP assemblyman Teh Lai Heng in the Penang legislative assembly.

Jagdeep added that the state government is studying the need for a Rent Regulation Enactment for the heritage zone.

Loh said he could not understand why Jagdeep Singh keeps saying that the Penang government could not do anything to stop heritage properties from falling into foreign hands, Bernama reported.

George Town has been listed as a Unesco World Cultural Heritage Site since 2008.