An ugly yellow building stands at the corner of Carnarvon Street and Acheen Street. It is called, oddly enough, Heritage Square. It passes our understanding how the plans came to be approved by the City when the upstart stands right in the middle of what has been proclaimed to be the heritage part of George Town. Its brashness is an offence to its neighbours. It occupies the site of the house of Khoo Tiang Poh, or Khoo Poh, who is described as prominent in the riots of 1867 and one of whose daughters married Syed Mohd Alatas. AR&T Heritage Consultant's chief executive officer Lim Hooi Siang, who is a consultant for Penang's application to UNESCO World Heritage Listing,  has pointed out that classical pillars and architraves do not make a heritage building. #
 

But is moving south - "to be nearer to Province Wellesley" - wise? We think that in the long term, the government offices should be located in Province where such offices as the JPJ are already to be found. George Town should be preserved as a heritage city,  and a cultural centre where concert halls and the central library and museum are to be found. It should also be a place for sporting activities.#
 
 

Restoration will cost RM1.9 millions. The Fort was gazetted a national monument by National Museum in 1977 and privatised in 1991. The moat which once surrounded the Fort will be restored. #
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Chinese Merchants Club

                The Chinese Merchants Club 65 Macalister Road

Your news item in issue No 15 on the Sun Yat Sen Trail mentions the Club at 65 Macalister Road. It is known as the Cheng Hong Kok. In the early 20's Lim Mah Chye was the president. It was fun for the children living nearby when the Peking opera (we called it Shanghai pan) performed in the hall of the Club; we were  allowed to sit on the floor right in front of the actors. Lim Mah Chye could be seen relaxing at the other end of the hall with his second wife

Your readers will recall that it was Lim Mah Chye who built Homestead at Northam Road with a lavish Italian interior. His son, Lim Chin Guan, took control of  the great Eastern Shipping Co Ltd when he bought out Quah Beng Kee, who lived opposite, at the house now occupied by the Maple Gold restaurant. The shipping company owned  some 40 ships carrying cargo to China to the East and India to the North. Homestead was bought by a newcomer to Northam Road, the newly rich Yeap Chor Ee, during the slump of 1929-31. Lim Chin Guan's son Lim Huck Aik is a retired lawyer who was educated at Cambridge, returning to Penang to serve as Municipal Councillor. He was also a member of the  SS Legislative Council and, after Merdeka, the Federal Legislative Council, He was also for many years president of the Penang Turf Club 

Mr Lim Chin Guan presided over my wedding and signed my marriage certificate; Tann Wee Tiong, my classmate, who went on to practice law in Singapore and achieved some prominence in politics, was the witness.#