Published: Tuesday February 9, 2010 MYT 9:06:00 PM
Malacca wants to negotiate for Eye on Malaysia
By MARTIN CARVALHO
MALACCA: The state government will negotiate with Belgian based company Fitraco NV, the owner of the Eye On Malaysia, to allow the giant ferris wheel to remain in Malacca.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said that lawyers for the Eye On Malaysia Sdn Bhd (EOM), the operator of the ferris wheel, will put forward several proposals to the company.
“The Eye has become a well-known landmark for locals and a tourist attraction.
“The people of Malacca would certainly feel sad if it is removed,” he told reporters during a visit to the state aquatic centre in Krubong here Tuesday.
Among the proposals, he said, was to allow EOM to continue to operate the wheel and pay Fitraco 60% of the ticket sales estimated at RM5mil per year.
“Another alternative that we are proposing is for the state subsidiary Perbadanaan Sungai dan Pantai Melaka (PSPM) to purchase the ferris wheel either through direct negotiations or through tender,” he said.
He added PSPM could also place a 10% down payment on the ferris wheel and pay the balance within three years.
“We respect the decision of the court and Fitraco’s right to do whatever it want with the ferris wheel.
“If it does decide to remove it from Malacca, the state will get another one to replace it,” he said.
The 62m ferris wheel, the tallest in the country, was brought into the country by MST Ad Suria Sdn Bhd and placed at Tasik Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur as part of the Visit Malaysia Year campaign in 2007.
Ad Suria subsequently entered into a joint venture agreement with state subsidiary Kumpulan Melaka Berhad in September 2008 to bring the Eye of Malaysia to Kota Laksamana next to the Malacca River.
On Sept 15 last year, Fitraco filed a suit at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to recover a RM17mil debt owed to the company by Ad Suria.
Fitraco succeeded in gaininng control of the ferris wheel on Jan 7 this year and were subsequently granted the right by the High Court on Monday to take possession and remove it.
Related Stories:
Court allows Belgian company to remove ‘Eye on Malaysia’
Suit against Eye On Malaysia operators on Feb 8
Malacca govt eyeing Ferris wheel if it is for the taking
Fate of the ‘Eye’ hangs in the balance
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