FIRE SAFETY IN HERITAGE BUILDINGS

List of Malaysian National Heritage Objects (as per April 2009) Category 2007 2009 Heritage Buildings 16 13 Archaeological Sites - 3 Natural Sites 2 - Tangible Heritage: v Museum Collection v National Art Gallery Collection v National Archive Collection v Archaeological Collection 20 10 22 1 1 Intangible Heritage: v Food v Art and Culture - 12 100 17 Living Person - 6 TOTAL 223 Source: Department of National Heritage (2009)

The Important Events of Heritage Conservation in Malaysia Year Events 1976 - The establishment of the Antiquities Act (Act 168) 1983 - The Heritage of Malaysia Trust (BWM) was established. 1988 - Malaysia has been accepted in the UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention on 7th December 1988. 1980s- 1990s -Restoration of Gedung Raja Abdullah, Istana Tengku Long, saving the demolition of Majestic, restoring Central Market into a cultural market. 1991 - Nationwide inventory of urban heritage buildings (247 towns and over 60,000 buildings) 1995 - Drawing up the country’s first Conservation Action Area Plan for Heeren Street and Jonker Street in Melaka. 1996 - Drawing up of the Penang Municipality Conservation Zones and Draft Outlines for Maintaining the Buildings within the Conservation Zones. 2003 - Drawing up a second Conservation Action Plan for the entire conservation zone of Melaka Municipality. 2006 - On 1st March 2006, the National Heritage Act (Act 645) c...

Generally, heritage conservation legislation in Malaysia could be divided into two jurisdiction levels, Federal level and State levels. In Malaysia, laws made by Parliament are called Acts while laws made by the State Assemblies are called Enactments. Currently at the Federal level, three acts may directly and indirectly deals with the conservation of built heritage in the country, they are: 1) Act 645: The National Heritage Act 2005 ; 2) Act 171: Local Government Act 1976 ;and 3) Act 172: Town and Country Planning Act 1976 . Meanwhile, there are another four legislation that applicable in the certain states in Malaysia: 1)Act 267: Federal Territory Act 1982- for federal territory states such as Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya; 2)The Preservation and Conservation of Culture Heritage of Melaka Enactment 1988- for the State of Melaka; 3)The Johore Enactment No.7 1988- for the State of Johore;and 4)The Sarawak Cultural Heritage Ordinance 1993- for the State of Sarawak. In ad...