KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - AFTER years of waiting for recognition, Malaysians are now fearful that the recent inclusion of two historic trading towns to Unesco's World Heritage list will create 'glorified theme parks'.

Three days of celebrations have been planned for northern Penang island after its capital Georgetown made the cut last week along with the port city of Malacca, where month-long festivities are also being organised.

But experts and heritage site conservationists fear the new status will erode the cultural and historical value of the place, as businesses take advantage of an expected rise in tourism that follows recognition.

'The fear is that it will become too commercialised,' Malacca Heritage Trust president Debbie Lee said.

'The authorities must be aware of why we are preserving these sites, what is worthy of preserving and it is far more than just the facade,' said Miss Lee, an architect.

'Some places have turned into glorified theme parks and rents and land price in the area have shot up the moment it has commercial appeal,' she added.

Penang Heritage Trust president Choong Sim Poey said the challenge was to preserve the intrinsic cultural heritage of the cities.

'We must prevent heritage buildings from being left derelict or modernised into glass boxes. We must do more to improve public transportation and make the city pedestrian friendly,' the Star newspaper quoted him as saying.

Georgetown was honoured for its colonial-era pre-World War II buildings. It also boasts a multi-cultural living heritage of groups including Malays, Indians, Chinese, Eurasians, Armenians, Japanese, Britons, Jews, Filipinos and Indonesians.

With more than 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West, Malacca's multi-cultural heritage can be seen its ornately designed government buildings, churches and forts.

It is where the Malay sultanate originated in the 15th century, before being invaded by the Portuguese and Dutch in the early 16th century.

But Malaysian town planners are generally less passionate about heritage sites in the country, where significant buildings continue to be torn down, including the charming century-old Bok House in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

An early example of the fusion between European and local architecture, it was nevertheless demolished in 2007 after only a brief outcry.

However, despite its certification listed sites are not safe from development as Unesco is presently seeking answers to plans for a hydroelectric dam that will submerge part of the Mulu Caves is Sarawak and Kinabalu National Park on Borneo island. -- AFP