Monday, February 28, 2011

RESTORATION OF SACRED HEART CHAPEL AT JALAN TENGKERA, MELAKA

Wednesday February 23, 2011

Committee requests aid for heritage building from government

By PERCY D’CRUZ
malacca@thestar.com.my

MALACCA: A protem committee comprising local church members have jointly submitted a working paper and request for a RM400,000 grant to the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage to restore the Sacred Heart chapel at Jalan Tengkera.

Vice president of the Malacca Heritage Trust Michael Banerji said that if the ministry would approve the project, the chapel would serve as a venue for meetings and gatherings among the Catholic and Christian groups and also house a resource centre and library.

Banerji added that the working paper made explicit mention of the restored building not as a place of worship, but as a venue for meetings, gatherings and fellowships for the three major local Roman Catholic churches namely: St. Francis Xavier, St. Peter’s and St. Theresa’s, apart from other Christian denominational churches based in the state.

Falling into ruin: The old quaint Sacred Heart Chapel along Jalan Tengkera in Malacca.

The committee also proposed for part of the chapel to be used as a funeral parlour for Christian families who reside in apartments, flats and high-rise buildings in the vicinity where sites for wakes and memorial services are not available.

“We proposed for the restored premise managed by the state heritage trust. In this manner, local and foreign historians and other relevant professionals and experts can undertake research or studies there.”

The Sacred heart Chapel which is listed as a national heritage site, was built around the 1860s and came under the purview of St. Peter’s Church, the country’s oldest Roman Catholic Church established in 1710.

The chapel’s land was leased to the church for 99 years, expiring in 1960. The lease was later extended by a further ten years.

Since 1970, the late Father MJ Pintado the then parish priest of St. Peter’s, maintained correspondence with the local state authorities for lease extension on the grounds of the edifice being a place of worship.

However, the request was turned down and the church continue to pay a nominal sum as land rental.

The then state authorities also gave an assurance that the building would remain as a place to serve local Christians and Catholics, provided the specific area was not gazetted for future general development.


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

MALAYSIA EYE TO BE READY BY DECEMBER 2011

Malacca to get bigger Ferris wheel

2011/02/22
By Jason Gerald John
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MALACCA: A new Ferris wheel, bigger than the Eyes on Malaysia, will rise again in the historical city here.

The wheel, to be called Malaysia Eye, will stand 88m high and comprise 54 air-conditioned gondolas.

It will be able to ferry six people in a gondola for a 16-minute ride.


Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said Malaysia Eye would begin operating on Dec 1 with a 324- passenger capacity.

"The the cost of bringing Malaysia Eye from China and the construction of a park along with it is RM30 million.

"It would not be located in Kota Laksamana, but in Pulau Melaka," he said, adding that locating the new Ferris wheel on the Eyes on Malaysia site would have implications as it was taller and the project would have to be approved by Unesco because of its World Heritage Sites status.


Ali said the Malaysia Eye project would be handled by The Eye Sdn Bhd.

He said the Malaysia Eye would be better and bigger than the Eyes On Malaysia which closed down due to a dispute between its owners, Fitraco NV of Belgium and MST Ad Suria Sdn Bhd and Eye On Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the company leasing the Ferris wheel.

Besides the new Ferris wheel, Ali said the Pulau Melaka area would also see the development of an Arab city, hotels and apartments.


"We will also have a 1,000-room hotel near Pulau Melaka, which will be developed by the Hatten Group.

"The Malaysia Eye and other attractions in this area, especially the soon-to-be opened Sea Lion Park, are set to be the latest tourist attractions," he added.

Friday, February 18, 2011

MELAKA TRAM GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY

19th. February 2011

Melaka Tram project has finally taken off today.The ground breaking ceremonyof Melaka Tram system is to be officiated today, 19th. February 2011.

This project has been awarded to Mrails International Sdn. Bhd. and CNG powered trams will be supplied by CNR Tangshan Railway Vehicle Co. Ltd. of China.

Slated to be completed in the middle of 2012, the tram system will travel from Ayer Keroh until the Melaka Heritage area with stops along the route.