MELAKA: Datuk Seri Abd Rauf Yusoh announced an “ang pow” to locals by rescinding the time limit of the road closures along the streets under the Vehicle-Free Zone initiative in Banda Hilir.
The Melaka Chief Minister said the closures will be shortened to 18 hours starting next week in conjunction with the Chinese New Year from 6pm to midnight on weekends until the end of February.
“The streets will be accessible during the day until the end of Chap Goh Meh for revellers to go shopping and carry out other festive chores,” he said after a walkabout at the iconic Jonker Walk night market and visiting Bukit Cina and Jalan Kee Ann here on Friday (Jan 12).
He was accompanied by Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong, several Melaka Exco members and officials.
Currently, the streets are closed for 54 hours from 6pm on Friday until midnight on Sunday (Jan 14).
“We are lifting the time limit of the road closures to allow our friends celebrating the Lunar New Year to be comfortable and also to stimulate the economic activities in Bandar Hilir here,” he said.
Ab Rauf said the streets would be closed for elongated hours on Feb 20 to allow the state-level Chinese New Year celebration to be organised.
He said the road closure would resume the 54-hour limit after the Chinese New Year celebration to continue the dry run to gauge the impact on local businesses.
He said the Vehicle-Free Zone at Banda Hilir here would be carried on with certain adjustments, especially in the aspect of traffic dispersal.
“Currently, motorists are still yet to get used to the road closure and we will introduce a few more contra lanes to make it easier for vehicles to enter the surrounding areas," he said.
The road closure and traffic diversion begins from the Jalan Laksamana Intersection with Jalan Banda Kaba, Jalan Chan Koon Cheng, Jalan Mahkamah, Jalan Gereja and Lorong Gereja.
Business communities in the affected areas have complained about the Vehicle-Free Zone and asked the state government to review the initiative, including shortening the road-closure hours to just Saturdays, like what was practised previously.
