MELAKA: Melaka River & Beach Development Corporation (PPSPM) is currently planning to develop a floating market on Sungai Melaka here as a pioneer project next year.
State Tourism, Heritage, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman said a total of 10 modern roofed boats will be placed along 120 feet (30 metres) of Phase Two of Sungai Melaka and will be transferred to the water taxi station near Taman Lagenda after cleaning and beautification work is completed.
He said PPSPM was currently refining technical and concept work to implement the market and initial work has been done to obtain technical approval from the authorities regarding the site planning and design of the boats.
"PPSPM plans to offer 30 boats for the floating market, 60 business kiosks at the river banks and a floating restaurant as a new tourist attraction in the state," he said in reply to Low Chee Leong’s (PH-Kota Laksamana) question on the floating market’s development during the state legislative assembly session at Seri Negeri Complex, Ayer Keroh here on Monday (July 31).
He also addressed Low’s earlier question regarding Sungai Melaka’s function as an alternative transportation route, stating that PPSPM had introduced the water taxi service that was launched by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh on May 16.
Abdul Razak added that there were two water taxis with a sitting capacity of 20, and passengers need to purchase their RM20 tickets or top up their payment cards at the Melaka River Cruise (MRC) ticket counter or at the water taxi.
Meanwhile, Education, Higher Education and Religious Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman told the state assembly that there were 28 bullying cases reported, involving 51 bullies among Melaka students from January to June this year, and in terms of punishments, warnings were issued in seven cases, verbal warnings (five cases), school suspension (18 cases), caning (18 cases) and expulsion (eight cases).
The punishments were issued based on investigations by the school discipline board and decided by the principal in line with the authority issued by the Education Ministry.
"Every police report lodged involving a fight or bullying in school was opened under Section 323 of the Penal Code, but during police investigations, discussions were held between both parties to try to mediate the matter with punishments such as expulsions only imposed on individuals after certification by the school discipline board,” he said.
He added that efforts to curb bullying in school involved schools conducting intervention, prevention and enforcement programmes through activities such as awareness programmes, anti-bullying campaigns, guidance and counselling for students and creating complaint boxes to allow students to report bullying easily.
"The state government views bullying seriously and I myself have gone to schools together with special taskforce members at night to provide explanations about this issue,” he said in reply to a question from Dr Mohd Aleef Yusof (PN-Sungai Udang) who asked about the number of reported bullying cases and the punishment meted out against bullies.- Bernama
