Law and Lim brought the BRATs to the infamous ‘Concubine Lane’, which used to be lined with brothels and opium dens. Many of the buildings are now being preserved and repurposed for modern businesses.

MODERNISATION is wrecking the preservation of heritage sites in Ipoh, Perak. Heritage buildings are either being torn down to make way for newer buildings or are being stripped of their original architecture in “restorative” attempts.

“Beautification is the enemy of heritage,” said Law Siak Hong, president of the Perak Heritage Society (PHS).

According to Law, the quaint historical buildings of Ipoh have been subjected to beautification projects by the City Council, with more attention being paid to the aesthetic value of the buildings rather than the original architectural content.

Though some tenants of the shop-houses in Mistress Lane like Lou Poh Choi, 68, have taken measures to retain the original structure of their lots when renovating, others have completely changed and destroyed the original architecture of the buildings.

“This is the ‘violation’ of our heritage buildings” commented Law.

He added that aesthetics and modernisation should never affect any preservation projects but instead, focus on repurposing the buildings to better suit the needs of today.

A prime example is how Perak Heritage Society (PHS) member Peggy Lim Bay Gie, 25, contributed to the conversion of a heritage shop-lot into the now-famous Lim Ko Pi coffee shop.

The bustling kopitiam is one of the best examples of how heritage buildings in Ipoh can be refurbished into eateries.

As a founding member of PHS, Law intends to raise awareness on preserving the original structures and styles of the historical buildings by conducting tours around Ipoh’s famous tourist spots.

Law hopes that the youngsters of today will appreciate the historical values of Ipoh’s buildings and pitch in by taking over his and his team’s legacy one day.