Reviews & Press : : The Sara Saga

The Star, Thursday August 5, 2010

More books on heritage city to meet growing interest
By CHRISTINA CHIN

SINCE the listing of George Town as a Unesco heritage site two years ago, there has been a huge surge of interest in the city.

Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) president Khoo Salma Nasution said more people were curious about the history of George Town.

“Tourists who come to Penang now demand to see George Town and you can even find many domestic tourists walking around.

“People now realise that the old city must be special if it is recognised as a world heritage site.

“Television programmes on Astro’s History Channel and the like have also encouraged a new appreciation for social history,” Khoo, who is also a historian, author and publisher, told Metro North.

New editions: Khoo with the books Hail Penang! by Bilainkin and
The Sara Saga by M. Saravanamuttu.

She said books on the state’s history, people and culture played an important role in promoting the state to both foreign and local tourists.

She said the recovery of our history and heritage must be a collective effort.

“The Penang Story Conference (co-organised by The Star) in 2002, helped to link historians, anthropologists and heritage enthusiasts, and this network has been quietly growing over the last eight years.

“For instance, researchers with an interest in urban history, various ethnic communities, religious pluralism or multi-cultural traditions, are discovering that Penang offers the possibility for them to explore the socio- historical context of the subjects they are interested in.

“This is because George Town’s physical heritage and urban geography are still intact; people have lived here for generations, the sense of community and urban traditions are still strong,” she said.

Khoo noted that a strong connection to the history and heritage of a place was essential to nurturing local identity and civic pride.

“If you understand how cultural capital and social capital are created, then you will realise how these assets translate into economic terms for the city’s future.

“That’s why books on Penang are important,” she said.

Khoo, whose Areca Books recently published new editions of Hail Penang! by George Bilainkin and The Sara Saga by Manicasothy Saravanamuttu, said every city needs a corpus of literature which is accessible to contemporary readers.

“Both authors were editors of Straits Echo but otherwise they are two different personalities with very different perspectives. The books serve as a good introduction to Penang.

“They will attract visitors and writers who like to read before they travel. More importantly, a wider range of readings will enrich our conversations about Penang and stimulate new narratives,” she said.

Salma said history buffs can look forward to a series of books on St George’s Girls School’s (SGGS) 125th anniversary, Little India, the Tamil Muslim community and heritage trees in Penang.

“The book on Little India is a collection of more than 100 black and white photographs that will help us recognise the city’s intangible values we need to preserve for the future.”

Salma, who is currently working on the book on the Chulias, or Tamil Muslims, described the history of a port city like Penang as “beyond the nation-state”.

She said books linking Penang to world history during the First World War and the early settlement when Penang was the Fourth Presidency of India would be interesting topics for publication.