KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants more efforts to be made to improve the facilities and cleanliness of George Town and Malacca.

Abdullah said he was proud that both cities had been named as World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

"Both cities need to take advantage of the announcement. Efforts must be made to improve the facilities, cleanliness and other services to attract more tourists," he told Bernama at the Group of Eight Developing Islamic Countries Summit here yesterday.

He said the announcement meant a lot to the country. "Although we have made efforts to modernise both cities, we have not neglected our heritage."

Abdullah said the achievement was due to the determined efforts of the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry which was then under Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

He also thanked Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, former Penang chief minister.

At the Parliament lobby earlier, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Unesco's inclusion of George Town on its World Heritage List was an honour not just for Penang, but for the whole nation.

He said the state government was proud of the achievement, which underlines the need for a concerted effort by all parties to maintain the city's historical and cultural value.

"It is an acknowledgement of what we have, a city with outstanding universal value historically. It is important to maintain the authenticity and retain the integrity (of George Town). This needs cooperation from everyone, including the current and past governments, non-governmental organisations, and the people," he said at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Lim said that while development would continue in George Town, the state government would ensure identified heritage buildings would be preserved. He urged the nation's leaders to set aside political differences to improve the effectiveness of these efforts.

Meanwhile, Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said the Federal Government had no problem working with both the Penang and Malacca state governments to preserve their historical heritage.

"The preservation of these heritage sites is not based on political interests, but on the interests of the nation," he said, adding his ministry would be seeking additional allocations from the Federal Government for conservation and maintenance.