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Media & Public FAQ
Section 1: Think City’s Role
- Who is heading Think City?
As Think City is a 100% subsidiary of Khazanah, the Board representation is also as such. There are two board members who are senior management from the Research & Investment Strategy Unit and Investments Unit of Khazanah Nasional, namely Hamdan Abdul Majeed and Suryani Senja Alias. There are also two independent directors appointed by the Khazanah Nasional Board, namely Dato' Dr. Anwar Fazal - who is also the Chairman - and Ar. Laurence Loh. Think City will be run by two Programme Directors who are familiar with the George Town world heritage site and have wide-ranging expertise on urban planning and regeneration projects, namely Suraya Ismail and Dr. Neil Khor. They will be assisted by two programme managers on the George Town Grants Programme and community outreach and stakeholder relations.
- What is Think City’s primary objective?
Our goal is to implement and administer the George Town Grants Programme with impartiality, non-exclusivity and transparency. Our primary objectives are to:
- Kick-start the urban rejuvenation of the George Town World Heritage Site (WHS)
- Build on the momentum of the civil society and private sector initiatives – spurring private-public partnerships
- Capacity building and capability development for the protection and development of the living heritage, culture and architecture
- Encouraging a sustainable, livable environment
- Who does Think City report on its projects and progress?
Think City will be reporting to its Board on project updates, which are generated by grantees. Nevertheless, we will be working closely with all State Govt., Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (“MPPP”), Jabatan Perancang Bandar & Daerah Penang (“JPBDP”), the Heritage Commission and with the local community - the drivers of this project - throughout the tenure of this Grant. Progress report of all GTGP projects will be publicly available on Think City’s website.
- Does the state govt. sit on the Board of Think City?
At this moment, Think City's Board of Directors constitutes Khazanah’s appointees. There is no direct representation from the federal or state government.
Think City will remain apolitical as this is the most efficient way forward, given the circumstances in Penang. Nonetheless, there will be state government appointees on our Advisory Panel to provide critical comments on projects which will require their expert opinion.
- How many staff does Think City have?
Think City will begin with five key staff members. We have selected them based on their special skills set. Together they have good collective experience in local history, planning & built environment, communications, outreach and educational programmes. We will also be employing interns, both from Malaysia and overseas, to add to the variety of skills in the company.
- Where is the office?
We are sharing an office with the Khazanah Koridor Utara (Northen Corridor Office) which is located on the 14th Floor, EPF Building, No. 38, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, George Town.
- Would Khazanah be taking on an overlapping role with Sime Darby who was supposed to develop the NCER?
As the GTGP an urban regeneration project in a world heritage site, we do not see it as an overlap. Rather, our efforts along with the Penang civil society will be a complementary, if not catalytic, contribution to the cultural development of the Northern Corridor. Furthermore, the context of Sime’s involvement in NCER is on the economic development aspect.
- Will the chief minister be briefed on this project?
Yes, we have already met with the Chief Minister to brief him about the project origination from the GTTP and the benefits of the George Town Grants Programme to drive urban regeneration ideas from the local community. The Chief Minister also launched the Baseline Study, a project that we are working with MPPP, JPBD and the World Heritage Office.
- What about the RM25mil that the state govt. is asking from the Federal govt. to implement their conservation projects?
The RM20mil that has been allocated to Think City, via Khazanah, as the George Town Grants Programme will be utilized to carry out a public grants programme which can consider applications from the state. We are already working with the MPPP and JPBD on the George Town Land Use and Population Survey that will be a first step towards a Special Area Plan and a Management Plan for George Town. Wherever possible, we will consider all applications from the state government and the local government on a case-by-case basis.
As is obvious, RM20 million is not enough to rejuvenate George Town. This means that we have to expand this fund. The only way to do that is to take a consensual approach that will win over property owners and provide matching grants.
Another way is for us to work closely with the state and local government to attract money from grant-giving bodies like the World Monuments Fund, The Aga Khan Development Network, the Toyota Foundation etc. To do that, we need to demonstrate that we can work together and have a comprehensive plan.
- Would Think City be working with the MPPP?
Yes, we will work closely with MPPP, JPBDP and other local govt. stakeholders in the city. Our role is to augment and compliment local government to make George Town a more liveable place. We are working closely with MPPP in projects that involve local governmental support. We are already working closely with MPPP and the World Heritage Office on a landuse and population survey of the George Town WHS – the first one its kind amongst Malaysian cities. Data collected on current land use and spatial allocation from this survey will be incorporated into a Geographic Information Systems (“GIS”) database.
Section 2: General Information on the George Town Grants Programme
- If the state govt. rejects certain projects that Think City Board and the Advisory Panel have approved, what will happen to the grant?
For grants that involved the state government as a key stakeholder the award will be subject to obtaining the necessary approval before hand. Think City's role is to compliment state and local government efforts to rejuvenate George Town. Like everything else, the owners as grantees will have to abide by MPPP's /state conservation guidelines and regulations.
- How many projects will there be under the grants programme?
That will depend on how many proposals we receive and how many are approved by the Think City Board.
- Will the grants be used for investments in infrastructure projects?
No, as the funds for the George Town Grants Programme have been specifically allocated for the purpose of driving urban regeneration and rejuvenation projects within the George Town World Heritage Site.
- Who gives the final approval for the grants?
While the Board of Think City gives the final approval for the projects, every proposal will be fed through a triple-review process: first cut evaluation by the Think City team, Think City Advisory Panel to review and recommend, and finally passed on to the Think City Board, who will in turn review and give final approval to the most innovative and sustainable projects.
- Who is on the Think City Advisory Panel?
Currently, we have Dr. Goh Ban Lee, Sr. Dr. Yahaya Ahmad and Prof. Dato' Wazir Jahan Karim on the Panel. This list is set to grow as we engage different subject matter experts in the future.
- What type of projects would Think City award the grants to?
Think City welcomes grant proposals that cover the following areas of heritage conservation:
- Documentation, Knowledge & Capacity-Building Track - to include all types of research projects related to the George Town WHS and its links to the rest of Malaysia, the region and the world. The products can include databases, journal articles, brochures, books, workshops, conferences, documentaries and short films.
- Public Realm Track - to include all types of conservation, restoration, demolition, revitalisation, beautification and capacity-building work involving public areas or high public access.
- Conservation of Historic Buildings Track - to include all types of projects aimed at improving the environment and promoting sustainable development in the city. These can include tree-planting, recycling, waste-management, rain-water harvesting, social housing, affordable housing, cultural festivals and other similar projects.
- Environment & Sustainable Development Track - to include all types of restoration and conservation of historic buildings in the World Heritage Site and its buffer zone. These grants are distinguished between public and private buildings
- Education, Outreach & Consultancy Track - to include all types of projects that help raise awareness about the GTGH as well as efforts to conserve George Town’s OUVs. Projects can include public awareness campaigns, public talks, forums, workshops, conferences, advertisements, websites, podcasting and all other related activities.
- Is the grant only available for new projects? Or can old projects apply?
The George Town Grants Programme will not fund the following:
- Routine maintenance and minor repairs of private property
- Alterations and private interior work
- Construction work already underway
- Any kind of work that detracts from George Town’s OUVs, under the discretion of the Think City Advisory Panel and Board
- Are there restrictions on who can apply for the grant? Must they be Penangites?
We welcome all applicants as long as their proposed projects will contribute to the betterment and rejuvenation of the WHS and George Town at large. Think City operates on a non-discriminatory approach, we do not discriminate based on gender, ethnicity, class or political affiliation.
- How do you apply for the grant?
Firstly, you should download the George Town Grants Programme Application Form from the Think City website. You will be required to complete the Form and prepare a Project Statement with details of financial projections.
Applicants for Matching/Repayable Grants (see TC website for more details) will have to include a Conservation Statement prepared by an appropriately qualified and accredited professional adviser. When you have all your documents, you can have to submit the hard copy along with the supplementary documents needed to complete your application.
- Must projects be only in the Heritage zone?
While the projects should emphasize and enhance the core and buffer zones of the WHS through proactive interventions, it should cover the boundaries of George Town at large.
- Is there a quota for monies distributed per project?
No, there will not be a quota system as all project funding will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- What is the duration for this Grants programme?
The George Town Grants Programme will have a lifespan of four years, which began on 1st September 2009 and will end on 31st August 2013.
- How would Think City monitor the projects implemented under the programme?
After the grant is awarded, a contract will be signed between Think City and the Grant Project Leader (GPL), who can be an individual or a representative of an institution. Think City programme officers will hold Progress report meetings with GPLs, who will be tasked to report regularly on project progress and results achieved within the submitted timeline of their proposals.
GPLs are also required to write and submit an interim project report, a final project report and financial report (using forms given by Think City) for tracking and evaluation purposes.
- Do the grantees have Key Performing Indicators (KPIs)?
- Yes, the effectiveness of their implemented projects must meet the following KPIs:
- Economic measures: How will the Grants stimulate economic activity in the WHS; particularly the rehabilitation of buildings and the revitalisation of neighbourhoods; infrastructural improvement and other physical developments that will stimulate overall increase in real-estate value.
- Social Capital: How will does the programme help build capacity for interpretation of heritage products that will improve George Town’s value as a heritage tourism destination.
- Public Good: Programmes should build bridges between different ethnic and religious communities; projects that encourage “inter-cultural” communication.
- Improvement in Administration & Management: Programmes should also help stimulate better governance of the WHS and that encourages public-private cooperation; that involves civil servants working with academics and civil society to improve the management of the city.
- Privately-driven Conservation: As some 95% of George Town is in private hands, special attention will be given to projects that encourage private owners to open their properties to public participation. Particularly important are clan, religious and family trust properties.
- Sustainability Agenda: Projects that provide new ways of thinking about the WHS and has a sustainable model should be encouraged. In fact, all applicants must be encouraged to include a sustainability assessment in their applications.
- Is there a specific timeline that all grantees have to conform in order to be considered for the grants programme?
While the timeline for each project will be set by the applicant, depending on project complexity, on average it should take a process of six to twenty-four months. All projects must conclude by the expiration of the George Town Grants Programme on 31st August 2013.
- Who does the grantee report to?
The GPLs will report regularly to the Think City programme manager (see also Question 23).
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