One resident of Machap Baru New Village in Alor Gajah has been working hard since 2007 to turn it into a tourist attraction during the Chinese New Year festive season. Fu Yap Long, a 70-year-old local, spoke about his efforts with MCA leaders, emphasizing that the village welcomes all to visit and enjoy the decorations.
Fu Yap Long highlighted the village’s commitment to maintaining core virtues of friendliness, modesty, and patriotism while preserving traditional values from their ancestors. This was shared during the launch of the village’s Chinese New Year decorations by Melaka health, human resources, and unity committee chairman Ngwe Hee Sem on Friday, Feb 2nd.
Reflecting on the challenges faced at the start, Fu Yap Long expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support of local MCA leaders to help realize his vision. He began by cultivating “Mei Hua,” or plum blossom flowers, and there are now over 60 of these plants in the village. According to Fu, tourists have started visiting from Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, and South Korea.
Former Melaka exco member Datuk Lai Meng Chong expressed the consistent support of the villagers in promoting Machap Baru as the focal point for Lunar New Year celebrations. The villagers contributed nearly RM100,000 to make the Year of the Dragon a meaningful one, showcasing the close-knit and supportive community spirit.
Similarly, the village’s Lunar New Year organizing chairman, Lai Kah Haw, described the festive atmosphere in the village, where red lanterns and decorations adorn the streets. Alor Gajah MCA leader and lawyer Koh Qi Min highlighted the tremendous effort the villagers put into making the celebration picturesque, with the hope that the younger generation will preserve their traditions while enjoying the Lunar New Year festivities.
