ONE MILLION VISITORS EXPECTED

A million visitors expected for Malacca River Fest

MALACCA: A million visitors from all over the country and abroad are expected to enjoy the thrills and join the fun-filled Malacca River Festival that starts here on June 1.

The month-long festival, introduced in 2007, has proven to be one of Malacca’s main annual events with the number of visitors growing each year, said Chief Minister Datuk Idris Haron.

“We have all the reasons to expect a huge turnout, further boosted by the rebranding of the event, known previously as Pesta Sungai Melaka,” he said after opening the International Scout Jamboree in Tehel near here yesterday.

“The festival is a crowd-puller as, beside the aesthetics of the rehabilitated Malacca River, there will be various activities organised by both government agencies and the private sector throughout the festival,” he said.

Idris added that this year’s festival would also showcase a river procession of decorated boats and fireworks.

On another development, the Chief Minister said the Malacca and Sumatra governments had agreed to have a new gateway here that would allow easy daily travel between the two territories.

Under the proposal, Indonesians would be able to travel here by sea to work and return home after their working hours.

“Indonesians can come to work in Malacca and return home, like Malaysians from Johor working in Singapore,” he said.

MALAYSIA FIRST CHINESE PAGODA MOSQUE

New Straits Times Monday, May 27, 2013 MALACCA - Malaysia's first Chinese pagoda-inspired mosque will be completed in April next year.

State Chinese Muslim Association (Pertim) chairman Mohd Mansor Yap Abdullah said the mosque, estimated to cost about RM7.5 million (S$3.13 million), would be located at Krubong, near here, and would not only cater to Chinese Muslims in the state, but all Muslims.

He said the mosque, which was being built on a 2.4ha site, would be a combination of the architectural designs of several mosques in Beijing, Shanghai and Xian.

"This mosque will be the first in the country which will incorporate the pagoda in its design.

"Hopefully, it will become a tourist attraction. I also hope that the mosque will open doors for the Chinese community to have closer ties with the Muslim community, fostering better understanding between both communities."

Mansor added that the mosque would implement a natural ventilation concept.

"The main prayer space will be able to cater up to 2,000 Muslims at one time, while the outer prayer space will have room for up to 3,000 ummah," he said after visiting the mosque's construction site here yesterday.

Construction of the mosque's main building began earlier this year through an allocation of RM5.9 million from the Federal Government, which was approved by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in October 2011. An additional RM1.6 million was later contributed towards the project from donations, as well as a state government fund set up by former chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam. Mansor said once the mosque was completed, Pertim's office would be moved there to facilitate the association's activities and programmes for the community. "The mosque will also offer facilities, such as a funeral rites room, meeting rooms and a library. "The Chinese Muslim community here is excited about the mosque, as their dream of having a Chinese pagoda-inspired mosque will soon be realised."

BARSI CELEBRATIONS IN MELAKA

Barsi celebration for revered local Sikh saint in Malacca

By Hanis Maketab | news@nst.com.my

MALACCA: More than 50,000 worshippers gathered at the Gurdwara Sahib Malacca here today to commemorate the 41st anniversary of Sant Baba Sohan Singh Ji’s death, which took place May 24-26.  

Also known as “Barsi”, the celebration is the largest Sikh event in the world outside Punjab, with Sikhs from as far as Europe, Australia and the United States making the annual pilgrimage here. During Barsi, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh Holy Book) will be recited from start to finish, which normally takes three days and two nights to complete.

Barsi 2013 organising chairman Datuk Dr Mahinder Singh said about 10 per cent of the visitors who came for the event annually, were foreigners.

“The event is not only for Sikhs – we welcome anyone who would like to join in the celebrations and learn more about the Sikh religion and culture,” he said. 

People of various races and religions were seen donning the traditional headscarves and took off their shoes as a sign of respect while in certain areas of the temple.

The late Sant Sohan Singh was an eminent Sikh priest who was born in Punjab in 1902. He dedicated his life to spreading Sikhism in Malaysia and Singapore and was declared a saint after his death in Malacca in 1972.

IMPRESSION MELAKA TO BE READY BY END 2014

Impression Melaka Launched as Part of the Overseas Expansion Plan of the "Impression" Series

BEIJING, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Impression Melaka was launched at the Beijing Hotel on the afternoon of May 15. Present at the press conference were the Ambassador of Malaysia to China Datuk Iskandar Sarudin, Ambassador of China to Malaysia Datuk Chai Xi, Chief Director of the "Impression" Series Ms. Wang Chaoge , and PTS Impression SDN BHD CEO Mr. Boo Kuang Loon. The event marked the official launch of Impression Melaka, the first foreign leg of the large-scale live-action show of the "Impression" Series, which is a new cultural and creative brand of China.

The signing ceremony was held in a typical Chinese way. PTS CEO Mr. Boo Kuang Loon and Chief Director Ms. Wang Chaoge stamped the scroll of Impression Melaka with a Chinese seal together, which marked the launch of the program.

The Ambassador of Malaysia to China Datuk Iskandar Sarudin observed that Melaka had a long history with China. Over 600 years ago, the Chinese navigator Zheng He visited Melaka several times during his voyages, and built a bridge between the two nations. He pointed out that Malaysia needed a unique, world-class cultural program like the Impression Series to help with the development of its local tourism, and increase the international reputation of the city. The federal, state, and municipal government will provide full support for Impression Melaka. The Ambassador of China to Malaysia Datuk Chai Xi said that the year 2014 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia and Impression Melaka is sure to be an important part of the celebration.

Chief Director Ms. Wang Chaoge said that Impression Melaka, as her 10th "Impression" event, will make new breakthroughs while continuing the tradition of the Impression Series to introduce to the world a real Melaka. Mr. Boo Kuang Loon explained that he grew up in the ancient city of Melaka, and had always dreamed of introducing the beautiful and magnificent city to the world. After years of investigation and research, he decided that the Impression Series was the one that could help him realize his dream. That was why he invited the team of the Impression Series to Melaka. He stressed that Impression Melaka would become a beautiful pearl of Melaka, and a new mark of the city's culture and tourism.

Malaysian investment development authority director Datuk Ng Peng Hay described the situation of Melaka, Malaysia as having the best economic record in Asia, becoming the third largest economy in Southeast Asia and playing an important role in Malaysia's economic development. Besides, Melaka is also a historic city with a rich cultural heritage. The Impression Melaka will show Melaka's rich unique history and cultural heritage through artistic creation, and become the new cultural tourism project of Melaka, which will play an important role for Melaka's sustainable economic development and inheritance of history and culture.

The Impression Series launched its first live-action show, Impression Liu Sanjie, in 1998, which turned out to be one of the greatest initiatives of the performance market of the world as well as China, with artistic and technical breakthroughs, real landscape as the scene, modern artistic designs, and splendid visual effects. The Impression Series has now grown into the No. 1 live-action show brand of China after the following eight events, including Impression Lijiang and Impression West Lake.

The "Impression" team chose Melaka as the first stop of its overseas expansion because it's one of the few historic cities in Southeast Asia, and one of earliest ports of the world that bridges the western and the eastern part of the world. It embraces immigrants from both the West and the East, and generates a unique culture demonstrating characteristics of different countries, including languages, religions, and customs. Still preserving the ancient look, the city was included in the UNESCO "World Heritage List."

Impression Melaka, as the 10th event of the Impression Series, will open in Melaka at the end of 2014.

MELAKA TO DO AWAY WITH OVERHEAD ELECTRICITY LINES

Monday May 20, 2013

Malacca to do away with overhead power cables

MALACCA: The historic state is doing away with overhead electricity lines and cables for safety and aesthetic reasons.

Chief Minister Datuk Wira Idris Haron said existing overhead cables in the city’s rural and urban areas would gradually be replaced with underground cables or have these routed to run between buildings.

“Besides being an eyesore, overhead electricity cables and lines are susceptible to many external interferences.

“Factors such as weather, air hazard and accidental impact with poles may cause breakage or stress to the transmission lines, posing danger to buildings and people.

“It’s good that we do away with it,” he said after visiting the state Tenaga Nasional Berhad headquarters in Banda Kaba here.

Idris, an electrical engineer by training, said the state TNB had been tasked to lead the special Street Lighting Maintenance and Management Committee to provide the technological expertise and consultancy to replace the overhead cables.

“The work will be carried out in collaboration with the state Public Works Department, local councils and other technical groups,” he said.

Street lamps and decorative lightning posing a danger to the public should also be quickly taken down to avoid any untoward incident, said Idris.

“The public should play a role by informing TNB on any issue or disruption to electricity supply,” he said.

Idris also noted that according to TNB’s System Average Inter-ruption Duration Index, Malacca’s average of 35 minutes/user last year was one of the best in the country.