Malaysia: Let Wong Ah Fook be a wake-up call

Chuah Bee Kim New Straits Times 6 May 14;

KICKER: Subhead summary At first, I was racing gas-powered RC cars but for the past few years, I have converted to racing electric-powered RC cars.

THERE are two lessons to be learnt from the recent demolition of Wong Ah Fook's former mansion.

Perhaps there are more, but I only know of two for now.

Lesson number one: Do not procrastinate.

I spoke to some of the residents and business operators near the site and some of them said that the place stuck out like a sore thumb.

The once majestic eight-room mansion became dilapidated over the years.

Squatters went in to occupy the premises. Two Taoist temples were also set up about 14 years ago.

No one really took much notice of the place. I think most of Johor Baru residents will know of the popular Kedai Makanan Jadi Baru (Botak) at Jalan Lumba Kuda better than they know of Wong Ah Fook's Old Mansion.

I say this because when the old mansion was facing demolition -- at that time the structure was still standing -- some actually didn't know what I was talking about.

Then I said: "The old house near Botak's restaurant."

And just like that, everyone knew the location.

Over the years, no one made much noise. In fact, I did not hear anything about preservation of the old mansion until the site was fenced up.

Then the noise started, and it grew louder and louder.

To be fair to the new owner, he had fork out a big sum of money to buy the land for development.

I do not know if he knew about the state government's plan to have the house turned into a museum or heritage site when he signed on the dotted line to buy the land, but he must have grown desperate when he eventually found out.

The second lesson here.

He probably acted in haste which resulted in the demolition at night, which to some had seemed like he had acted like a "thief in the night".

But isn't that his land now? His intention was to develop the land which had not enjoyed much notice over the years until now.

I want to switch to another subject concerning an issue that may seem like nothing now but could become an even bigger issue than Wong Ah Fook's old mansion.

This concerns the reclamation works in Tanjung Kupang, Gelang Patah which is believed to have covered up half of the Merambong seagrass meadow in Sungai Pulai.

It's just grass, right?

To an environmentalist, this seagrass is a national treasure. It stretches 1.3km and has been accorded Environmentally Sensitive Area status.

It provides nutrients to the marine life in the vicinity and the Straits of Tebrau.

The destruction of this seagrass meadow will alter the marine environment and may even cause floods in the villages nearby.

To an economist, the fishery industry is a multi-billion investment.

Any possible threat to the fishery industry is going to affect those in the business as well as consumers.

Let the Wong Ah Fook issue be a wake-up call.

Don't procrastinate but don't act in haste, either.