GEORGE TOWN: A descendant of Foo Teng Nyong, the third wife of Kapitan Chung Keng Qwee, whose 138-year-old gravesite was exhumed and demolished on Monday, wants the state authorities to compel the developer to restore the grave to its original design and location or risk further action.
Jeffery Seow is disappointed that his repeated warnings that the grave would be secretly destroyed had fallen on deaf ears.
The great grandson of Chung and Foo said the Penang government, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and the Heritage Commission must compel the developer to restore the grave to its original design and location within six months, failing which a fine of RM50,000 will be incurred and a further fine of RM500 per day until the grave is restored.
He said during which development should not be allowed to proceed.
He added that this was what the state authorities had done with Hotel Metropole.
The Metropole Hotel, formerly Asdang House, one of Penang's most prominent historical-heritage buildings, was reduced to rubble on Christmas Day in 1993.
The people only found out that the building had an interesting history after its demolition. Built at the turn of the century, it belonged to the Khaw (Na Ranong) clan. It was here that receptions were held for the king and queen of Thailand. Members of the Thai royal family also stayed at Asdang House.
Following the hue and cry, the then Penang Municipal Council had ordered the owner to rebuild the house to its original form in six months, failing which would cause a maximum fine of RM10,000 and an additional fine of RM500 for each day's delay.
The company was also charged in court for demolishing a heritage house without permission and subsequently fined RM50,000.
"I believe the state authorities should do the same as what they decided in the case of the Metropole Hotel back then.
"Since March this year, I had repeatedly warned the Penang government and the Heritage Commission about my fear that the grave would be secretly destroyed, presenting a fait accompli as had happened many times already in Penang viz Metropole Hotel/Asdang House as well as graves of descendants of Koh Lay Huan and others.
"I had pushed aggressively to have the grave gazetted as a protected monument. On May 23, I was assured by Penang Heritage Council and Penang Heritage Commissioner Rosli Nor that nothing would happen to the grave. The developer had been asked to preserve the grave as part of its green belt and the developer would have to seek permission before they did anything. My warnings have fallen on deaf ears.
"I believe the state authorities should do this not because the grave was destroyed but because the developer took the law into their own hands and the government should make an example of them," he told the New Straits Times in an interview.
Seow said with the grave gone, he did not possess a magic wand to bring it back.
He said the only one who could and should bring it back is the developer, compelled by the Penang government, MBPP and the Heritage Commission to do so.
"If the authorities are even a little embarrassed and not a little annoyed at being ignored by the said developer who thinks they are above all three of them.
"Today has seen the destruction of an important historical marker for Penang, connected to these remarkable personalities. All because a developer refused to comply with the suggestion from the state authorities to keep the grave as part of its green feature and build around the grave.
"I hope the developer can rest easy tonight. I know that my great grandmother, great grandfather, grand father, grand aunt and grand uncles' souls will stir restlessly this night.
"I hate to be the one to tell the state authorities. I told you so, but I told them, and what I feared would happen if the grave was not protected early has come to pass. In a rather dramatic way," he added.
Foo, besides being the wife of Chung, was also the mother of Chung Siew Yin Kapitan Chung Thye Phin and Chung Thye Cheong, and the paternal aunt of Tin King of Malaya, Foo Choo Choon.
Chung (Keng Quee) had been the largest tin mine owner and employer in Malaya.
The landowner had initially published a notice of exhumation for the tomb on Feb 16 this year, and as soon as Seow found out about it, he sought help from the state authorities for it to be preserved and even started an online petition which garnered about 1,200 signatures.
The Penang government said that it would probe the demolition of a 138-year-old grave.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin reportedly said a special licence was given by MBPP on March 18, as well as an official letter on the extension of the permit issued on July 26, to exhume the remains from the burial ground but not to destroy the historic tomb.
He had said that it was unacceptable that the piece of historical monument had been destroyed without approval and responsible parties would be probed.
A team of investigators comprising experts from the George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) has been tasked with investigating the matter.