SAN DUO TEMPLE IN MELAKA

Ancient Malacca temple hopes to be marked on tourist map

Huge incense burner (left), placed at the spot since 1892, at the 200-year-old ancient San Duo Temple in Malacca. (Right) Stela to record every rebuild period of the temple.

Sin Chew Daily/Asia News Network
Friday, Mar 30, 2012
MALACCA - The Jalan Tokong Besi in Chinatown of Malacca is also known as Harmony Street, as worship places of three religions are located peacefully along the same street. Among them is 200-year-old ancient San Duo Temple.

The street also symbolises the harmonious coexistence of Buddhism, Taoism, Islamism and Hinduism in Malaysia.

The San Duo Temple is seldom mentioned due to the lack of propaganda. However, visitors always being impressed by the temple's rich historical heritage. Therefore, the Malacca Kwang Tung Huay Kuan entrusted to manage the temple hopes that the temple can be included in the Malacca tourist map.

The San Duo Temple has 217 years of history and was formally called the Qing Long Hui when it was built in 1795. It was later renamed as the San Duo Temple after the expansion was completed in 1857.

Many utensils in the temple, including incense burners and plaques, are originated from the Chinese Manchu Dynasty and being placed at the temple in 1891. The entrusted body also spent thousands of ringgit last year to repair relics in the temple.


(Left) "The 18th years of the Guangxu Empire" is clearly engraved on the beam. (Right) Ancient plaques hung on a wall of the temple's main hall shine after being repaired in recent years.
Malacca Kwang Tung Huay Kuan director Huang Da Wen said that the association hopes that the temple can be officially recognised as a tourist attraction to further promote the temple's characteristics and historical values.

He said that many tourists who passed by the Jalan Tokong Besi had been impressed by the ancient temple.

He also said that many century-old historical relics in the temple are priceless tourist attractions and if the government attaches importance to the temple and help to promote, it can help the association to strengthen maintenance and improve management of the temple's affairs.

He added that the maintenance of the temple relies on donations from worshipers and the association's assistence. Under a great financial pressure, the temple hold a chingay every two years.


(From left) The ancient bell originated from the 17th year of the Guangxu Empire is a precious historical treasure; historical utensils and a 155-year-old stele in the temple.
San Duo temple executive secretary Li Jin Long said that as the Jalan Tukang Besi has become more and more popular, the number of the temple's visitors have also increased. Therefore, if the government puts the temple on the tourist map, it is believed to attract more tourists.

He said that visitors are always surprised and impressed by the Chinese Manchu Dynasty utensils in the temple.

"No matter how expensive the cost is, we will still try to protect these historical items, including repairing plaques, columns and beams damaged by termites," he added.

AIRPORT HUB FOR BATU BERENDAM AIRPORT?

Tuesday April 3, 2012

Big plans for Batu Berendam Airport


MALACCA: The Malacca Government wants to transform the Batu Berendam Airport into a regional hub for the Asia-Pacific airlines.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the plan to integrate international, domestic and regional services under one roof would attract more airlines.

“This vision has the potential to improve traffic flow with the upgrading of the airport into a regional hub with more aircraft gates,” he said here yesterday.

He said the plan is expected to gain momentum following the maiden flight of Sky Aviation for the Malacca-Tanjung Pinang-Malacca sector last Friday.

Mohd Ali said the Tanjung Pinang-Malacca-Tanjung Pinang sector is poised to attract an estimated 30,000 passengers annually.

The Star on March 24 reported that an airlines, a fusion between budget and high-end carrier, is eyeing Batu Berendam airport as their international hub.

TREATY OF LONDON 1824

In 1824, during the Napoleanic Wars in Europe, the Dutch reached a treaty with Great Britain under the "Treaty of London 1824"

The Dutch transferred to Great Britain the 'Town and Fort of Malacca and its Dependencies' in which Britain and the Netherlands in return took over Bencoolen in Sumatra which was controlled by Britain.

This move was done to prevent the French from getting Malacca should they defeat Holland in the then Napoleanic Wars.

It should be interesting to get a copy of this Treaty of London 1824 as a record of this important document.

SKY AVIATION FLIES TO MELAKA

Sky Aviation flies T. Pinang-Melaka route

The Jakarta Post | Mon, 04/02/2012 10:41 AM |
JAKARTA: Sky Aviation, a private Indonesian airline, has opened a new route connecting Tanjung Pinang in Riau Islands and Melaka in Malaysia, to meet the surge in passenger traffic between the two towns.

 The first Sky Aviation’s international route is equipped with turboprop-powered airliners, Fokker F-50.

 “With the new route opening, we hope the economic relations between the two regions can be improved,” said Sky Aviation senior safety advisory officer Chappy Hakim before the first flight in Raja Haji Fisabilillah airport, Tanjung Pinang, on Thursday.

Sky Aviation, one of Indonesia’s new private airlines, will operate a turboprop Fokker F-50 airplane to serve its first international route. At present, the airline serves 21 destinations in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Surabaya and Batam.

In the future, as Chappy stated, Sky Aviation will fly the route twice a week, every Wednesday and Sunday.

“Historically, Riau Islands and Melaka have a close relationship, and we are committed to maintaining it and taking it to the next level,” said the former Air Force chief Air Marshal, as quoted by Antara news agency.

HISTORICAL SITES TO BE GAZETTED IN MELAKA

The National Heritage Department of Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture has published a public notice that Bandar Hilir Primary School, Jalan Parameswara, Melaka has been designated to be a heritage site on 29th March 2012.

Besides Bandar Hilir Primary School Building, the Meng Seng Charitable Hall at Jalan Taming Sari, was also to be gazetted. Meng Seng Charitable Hall was the place where Tunku Abdul Rahman raised impromptu funds for the delegation to travel to Great Britain to negotiate for Malayan Independence.

Any objections can be submitted to the ministry at info@warisan.gov.my.

There are a few buildings in Melaka which can also be gazetted for our future generations eg the Malacca High School Heritage Building.