Calls to restrict foreigners from buying heritage properties

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Gerakan Youth today urged the DAP-led state government to restrict foreigners from buying heritage properties.
Its assistant secretary, Loh Kit Mun, questioned the statement by state executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo that the state government could not limit or stop people from buying heritage properties as it was against the federal constitution.
"I would like to ask which article in the federal constitution says that we cannot stop foreigners (individuals or companies) from buying heritage properties.
"Our federal constitution aims to govern our country and safeguard its citizens, not foreigners," he said at a press conference here.
At the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Jagdeep Singh said the state government had no plan to implement an enactment to limit foreigners from buying heritage properties or pre-war houses in the Unesco George Town Heritage Site.
Loh said the Unesco George Town Heritage Site had around 5,000 pre-war houses.
He said he could not understand why Jagdeep Singh repeatedly said that the state government could not do anything to prevent the heritage properties from falling into the hands of foreigners.
"Is there something behind the scenes which prevents him from implementing the policy to restrict foreign purchases? I urge Jagdeep Singh to show his political will in implementing the policy that really helps and protects Penangites, not foreigners," he said. — Bernama