Sunday July 5, 2009
Mohd Ali wants extra federal funding to extend new marina
By CHEN PELF YEEN
MALACCA: On the very day that the RM28mil Melaka Marina Complex is launched, the Chief Minister is asking the Federal Government for RM100mil to extend it to enhance tourism.
“At present, the marina at Kota Laksamana lacks facilities and amenities such as restaurants, public toilets and a dry dock for boat repairs,” Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam told The Star when asked what the public money would be used for.
“The RM28mil only provided for the construction of a basic 40-dock pontoon system marina and a single-storey office building that will house the offices of the Immigration, Customs and the Marine departments,” he said, when asked why the tourism potential had not been factored in earlier.
Personal tour: Boat builder Mike Thien (left) showing Mohd Ali (centre) and Mohd Khalil around the marina yesterday. He said his government had wanted to build a large marina in Klebang originally but it was limited by the allocation under the 9th Malaysia Plan for Phase I.
Earlier yesterday, after the official opening of the marina by Malacca governor Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, Mohd Ali had told reporters that the state would be seeking RM120mil from the Federal Government for two waterfront projects under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
He said RM100mil was to extend the Marina Complex, next to the mouth of the Malacca River, and RM20mil was to build a lagoon along Pantai Puteri in Tangga Batu.
He said the extension of the present marina would allow a large number of sail boats and yachts to berth there while the lagoon would spur water sports.
“We hope to attract more of them to come to Malacca, especially those from Singapore,” said Mohd Ali.
The present the 7.5ha marina, developed by Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd, is able to accommodate 12m to 18m-long sail boats and yachts with a transit capacity of 400 vessels per year.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Transport Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew said the new marina was a “starter”.
“The ministry is willing to consider the state’s proposal for the extension,” he said, adding that Malacca’s strategic location would attract boats from Singapore and Indonesia.
He added that there are currently nine marinas in Malaysia of which only those in Penang, Tioman and Langkawi are well-known in the region.
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