GEORGE TOWN, November 28 — The application to list Penang’s Batu Uban mosque as a national heritage site under the National Heritage Act 2005 has encountered objections from landowners, revealed Wong Hon Wai, Chairman of Penang’s tourism and creative economy committee. Despite the mosque’s historical significance, objections arose due to its location on land owned by Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Pulau Pinang and a private landowner. The mosque, tracing its roots to the 18th century, underwent reconstruction in the 1900s, and its heritage importance resulted in tentative state heritage listing.
State Opposition Leader Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff of PAS accused the DAP-led government of sidelining Malay Muslim heritage in favor of colonial British history, citing Batu Uban mosque as an example. Wong clarified that the mosque’s reconstruction does not diminish its heritage value, and it remains tentatively listed as a state heritage building. Wong also highlighted ongoing efforts to gazette other Malay heritage buildings and cultural groups as national heritage sites, including Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh, Masjid Kapitan Keling, Makam Sheikh Omar, and Omar Md Hashim as Warisan Kebangsaan Orang Hidup.
