YONG TAI TO BUILD INTERNATIONAL CRUISE TERMINAL

Yong Tai to build international cruise terminal in Melaka

JANUARY 20, 2020 @ 7:57PM
BY NST BUSINESS

KUALA LUMPUR: Yong Tai Bhd’s wholly-owned subsidiary YTB Impression Sdn Bhd (YTBI) has today accepted the Letter of Approval from the Melaka state government for the proposed development of an international cruise terminal at Impression City Melaka.

YTBI also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore Cruise Center Pte Ltd (SCC) for the proposed engagement as terminal operation and management consultant.

SCC is Asia’s first and only Singapore-based company with a proven track record in managing maritime passenger terminals, augmented by numerous international awards since commencement of operations.

To date, SCC manages and operates three ferry terminals and one award-winning international cruise terminal in Singapore.

Yong Tai chief executive officer Datuk Wira Boo Kuang Loon said the cruise industry was one of the fastest growing segments of tourism.

There was no doubt that this upcoming cruise terminal would increase tourist arrivals in Impression City Melaka, which in turn, will lead to greater spending by tourists, he added.

“This augurs well with the business strategies of Yong Tai to spur tourists’ interest for Encore Melaka’s captivating shows,” he said in a statement.

Impression City Melaka is part of Yong Tai’s flagship mixed development project with an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM8 billion.

The proposed development will be well integrated with the group’s Terra Square mixed development project in Impression City, which is also linked to Encore Melaka theatre.

“Earlier, we have slowed down the construction works in Terra Square, as we intend to have a masterplan to integrate the elements and concepts of the upcoming cruise terminal, said Boo.
The cruise terminal is expected to be a major game changer for Impression City, further strengthening the mega-project’s gross development value over the long run.

The iconic Encore Melaka theatre will be the proposed development’s key beneficiary, given its location that will be next to the cruise terminal.

With higher projected tourist arrivals into Impression City via the cruise terminal, this will boost the Encore Melaka theatre’s audiences across international markets.

The cruise terminal is also expected to create greater footfall to the Terra Square retail mall, as it will be integrated with the proposed development.

MELAKA INTERNATIONAL CRUISE TERMINAL IN 2022

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CM: Melaka to have international cruise terminal by 2022

Thursday, 16 Jan 2020 06:20 PM MYT

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Melaka Chief Minister Adly Zahari said Melaka expects to have an international cruise terminal by 2022. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

MELAKA, Jan 16 — Melaka expects to have an international cruise terminal by 2022 following the state government’s approval for the deep-sea port to be built near Encore Melaka here.

Chief Minister Adly Zahari said the project would spur economic, logistics and tourism growth in the state, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site and also play an important role in social development.

“With this terminal, cruise ships can dock directly at the port, unlike the present where feeder boats have to be used to bring the tourists over as the water is too shallow for such ships to dock.

“The project will not only enhance the state’s tourism sector but also impact positively on the state’s economic sector particularly in terms of employment opportunities for the town and rural folks,” he told a media conference after a state government council meeting today.

He said the state government was negotiating with parties from Encore Melaka to finalise the cost for the project which will take two years to complete.

Cruise ship operators from Singapore are also in favour of the project, he said .

Last year, according to Adly, Melaka received 60 cruise ships via the existing terminals at Melaka Marina and Melaka Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex with an average of 2,000 tourists aboard each ship.“We are confident that this number will rise once the International Cruise Terminal facing the Straits of Melaka is ready,” he said.The international terminal is one of three ports being developed by the state government and relevant shipping agencies. The other two are the Tanjung Bruas Port and Kuala Linggi International Port. — Bernama

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PRESERVE TANJUNG TUAN

Call to preserve Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve for migration of predatory birds

JANUARY 8, 2020 @ 12:01PM
BY BERNAMA

ALOR GAJAH: The Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve here should be conserved and preserved for the migration of predatory birds so that the survival of the bird population, also known as raptors, can be maintained in balancing the ecosystem.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) president Prof Dr Ahmad Ismail said the migration of birds of prey across the Straits of Malacca, from Sumatra in Indonesia to Tanjung Tuan in Melaka, as far as 38km, occurred once a year between January and April, while the peak period to watch the birds crossing the straits was in March.

“Each year, tens of thousands of raptors migrate across the Straits of Malacca to return to the Northern Hemisphere over 10,000km to Japan and South Korea to continue breeding. The bird movement is aided by the winds from the west or southwest.

“As these birds have heavy bodies, they glide through the air, conserving energy across the Straits of Malacca, by minimising fluttering their wings which requires a lot of energy, hence their path should be maintained to avoid obstructing migratory routes,” he said at the Tanjung Tuan Recreational Forest here.

The migration of the birds is important because raptors that are threatened with extinction, are influential in environmental balance as they are at the top of the food chain as well as a benchmark for environmental quality.

Tanjung Tuan, formerly known as Cape Rachado, is an important stop for migratory raptors after crossing the Straits of Malacca.

“Tanjung Tuan’s uniqueness is that it is the only coastal forest on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia gazetted as a Forest Reserve, Wildlife Reserve, a fisheries prohibited area and a historic site,” he said.
He said Tanjung Tuan, which covers 60ha, was listed as one of the 55 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA) in Malaysia.
“IBA is an important biodiversity conservation site that uses birds as the key indicator to determine the level of environmental health,” said Ahmad, who is also a lecturer in Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Ecology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia.
He said to raise awareness of the need to protect the birds and their habitat, MNS has since 1999 been organising “Raptor Watch” in Tanjung Tuan and this year the programme was expected to be held for two days in March.-- Bernama

MELAKA RIVER CRUISE HOPES TO COLLECT RM 25 MILLION IN 2020

MELAKA: The Melaka River and Coastal Development Corporation (PPSPM) targets to collect RM25 million this year from 1.2 million tourists taking the Melaka River Cruise (MCR).

State Tourism, Heritage and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis said last year over one million tourists paid a total of RM20 million for the cruise.

He said in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2020 (VMY2020), PPSPM has been holding monthly lucky draws since August last year and the annual “Cruise & Win” lucky draws had been held since 2017.

Last December RM306,933 was collected in lucky draw, while the Cruise & Win draw fetched RM490,724, he said at the Melaka Grand Cultural Festival 2019 appreciation ceremony here today.

Muhammad Jailani said PPSPM was also beautifying the lamps along the Melaka River and replacing old boats with new ones in a bid to attract more tourists.

He said the state government was also upgrading Melaka’s tourism products and infrastructure to help the federal government achieve its goal of welcoming 30 million tourists to the country and registering RM100 billion in tourism receipts in 2020. - Bernama