Cultural landscapes as heritage in Malaysia: Potentials, threats, and current practices

Abstract

The rural cultural landscape in Malaysia is relatively under-researched. The current heritage practices focus on built heritage as national heritage, which implies the everyday landscapes of the rural areas have been neglected as potential heritage and have received little attention from politicians and policy makers. The goals of the study were two-fold: [1] To identify and select rural cultural landscapes in Peninsular Malaysia that have heritage value, which may also considered worthwhile for protection; [2] To analyze the level of awareness and readiness of Malaysian policy makers and planning practitioners from relevant fields with regard to cultural landscape conservation. A mixed-methods approach was employed, which include author’s personal selection, survey questionnaire and in-depth interviews, content analysis and expert workshops. The first goal was achieved through the author’s personal selection of cultural landscapes with heritage values on the basis of internationally accepted criteria, which was subsequently validated by expert panels in workshop sessions. The author’s selection includes six rural cultural landscapes with heritage value: the rice paddy landscapes in Kedah; the first FELDA settlement of Lurah Bilut; three traditional villages of the east coast (Terengganu); the Kuala Sepetang and Kuala Sangga fishing villages on the west coast, the Minangkabau settlements in Rembau and Kuala Pilah; and the hill resorts and mixed farming in Cameron Highlands. The expert panels were not informed about the author’s personal selection. Through the workshops, with small minor differences, the expert panels validated the author’s personal selection and nominated similar types of landscape. The experts panels agreed with the author that cultural landscapes in Peninsular Malaysia have significant heritage values and potential for national listing, yet to date these landscapes are not legally protected and at risk. The survey questionnaire and in-depth interviews among experts and the content analysis of three Malaysian government documents [(the National Physical Plan-2 (NPP-2), the National Landscape Policy (NLP) and the National Heritage Act 2005 (NHA)] served to answer the second goal. Four significant results derived from this part of the study. [1] The term and concept of “cultural landscape” is not commonly used in Malaysian daily landscape policy and practices. [2] The senior policy makers confirmed that the cultural landscape is peripheral on the landscape planning and heritage conservation agenda. [3] Landscape characteristics that represent assets such as scenery, architectural styles, and cultural activities are more cherished than those that refer to history. [4] The experts expressed their concern on threats to cultural landscapes caused by rapid urban, infrastructural, and industrial development. The content analysis of policy documents revealed that the idea of cultural landscape as heritage in Malaysia has not yet been incorporated in government policy and heritage practices. Sustainable development, which is part of the climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation agenda, is central in the planning and landscape policies. Landscape as resource and as project (“landscaping”) is widely adopted in NPP-2 and NLP. The instruments of the NHA are more suitable for conservation of buildings and monuments than for the protection of valuable landscapes as a whole. In conclusion, the idea of cultural landscapes as heritage needs more collaboration between professionals and agencies in Malaysia.