ABSTRACT
Over the half century following the end of colonialism in 1957, Malaysia’s political and economic policies have been driven largely by ethnic, racial and religious politics, whose divisiveness and lack of common purpose gave the country the character of a classic ‘plural’ society. References to ‘cultural heritage’ in this context have invariably served to reinforce these identities and to entrench their distinct claims and entitlements. At the same time, the national state has promoted a programme of aggressive economic development and the creation of a privileged economic elite which has increasingly put at risk the existence and quality of life of communities of all cultural backgrounds, particularly in urban areas. One response, over the past two decades, has been the mobilization of new movements focusing on cultural rights aligned with more extensive social, environmental, housing and human rights causes, united in a critique of promiscuous and politically abetted over-development. This is the context in which a more evolved notion of ‘heritage’ began to gain currency among a wide swathe of citizens, partly sustained and informed by an international heritage network, in what may be seen as a new variant of identity politics and management. This chapter chronicles the rise of heritage ideology and action as a resistance to the politics of irresponsible development in the Malaysian city of Penang.
