Ten years ago on July 8, 2008, George Town and Melaka, two historic cities on the Straits of Malacca which developed through trading and cultural exchanges between the East and the West, were listed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.
While the mood was (and still is) celebratory, it called to attention the monumental job of protecting and managing the two cities and their multifaceted heritage.
The SAP in a Nutshell
In giving the honour to the two cities, Unesco requires an appropriate management plan or documented management system to be provided by the state party.1 In Malaysia, that responsibility went to the Tourism and Culture Ministry through the National Heritage Department.
