About the CPD Talk

Winner of the Award of Merit in the 2021 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, the Thai Pak Koong temple project was recognised as “a noteworthy example of excellence in technical conservation that complements and extends the established high standard prevalent within the George Town World Heritage site.” The project was appreciated for the high-callibre restoration of the decorative works and historic architecture, that reinvigorated ongoing use of the temple as an important spiritual centre for the Chinese community of Penang.

In this HKICON CPD, Dato’ Lio Chee Yeong, the Chairman of the Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple Restoration Committee, in conversation with Penang-based conservation architect and expert Laurence Loh, will share his experience of the conservation project while highlighting key aspects that made the project stand out as a benchmark for regional best practice.

Cover Photo: Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple (Source: Dato’ Lio Chee Yeong)

About the Speakers

Dato’ Lio Chee Yeong

Dato’ Lio Chee Yeong, a lawyer practising in Malaysia after qualified as a barrister at law of Middle Temple in England. Besides being a Mediator and a Notary Public, he is also an Honorary Consul of Denmark in Penang and a Visiting Research Fellow of the China-ASEAN Legal Research Centre.

He is a legal adviser for Penang Chinese Town Hall, Penang Importers and Exporters Association, North Malaya Liquor Traders Association, Malaysia Printers Association, Malaysia Watch Trade Association.

He is passionate about and joins many societies to promote the Chinese culture and heritage conservation. As the Chairman of the Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple from 2014 to 2020 and its Restoration Committee, he has initiated, planned and completed the restoration project of the said Temple in King Street, Penang in 5 years together with the late Mr Tan Yeow Wooi, heritage conservator. The restoration works has won the Temple the Award of Merit, UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2021.

Laurence Loh

Laurence Loh, an architect by profession, is an Honorary Fellow of HKICON and has been an active supporter of Hong Kong’s conservation endeavours for over 25 years. To acknowledge his teaching contributions as an annual lecturer in the ACP Heritage Management Course and the expertise and in-depth knowledge he continues to share, HKU has honoured him with an Adjunct Professorship. He has acted from time to time as an advisor to the Urban Renewal Authority, the Antiquities and Monuments Board and other interest groups in Hong Kong.

Further afield, he is presently collaborating with the Getty Conservation Institute on an urban conservation planning course for ASEAN countries, with UNESCO to develop and deepen its outreach through new programmes and its UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Awards and the World Heritage Centre through ICOMOS on site evaluations and technical reviews.

He is a recipient of the 2019 PAM Gold Medal Award for his life-long contribution to the advancement of architecture in Malaysia and several UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Awards.