Seventy premises along Sungai Melaka near Banda Hilir here will undergo a makeover as part of Visit Melaka Year 2024 (VMY2024), with the aim of beautifying and brightening the scenery in the area.
Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) Mayor Datuk Shadan Othman said the cost to repaint parts of the buildings facing Sungai Melaka would exceed RM100,000 and was expected to be completed by the end of this month.
Shadan mentioned that most of the buildings in the area were old and not properly maintained, so a physical transformation was necessary to give them a facelift and attract more visitors, especially those taking the Melaka River Cruise along Sungai Melaka.
He also revealed that the repainting initiative faced some challenges, as the owners of the premises had to be contacted for approval before proceeding, but the council managed to get a paint company to contribute to the effort.
This news comes after the launch of the Police Evolution Mural on the wall of the Melaka Tengah Police Station, officiated by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, marking the upcoming VMY2024.
Other VMY2024 events include a New Year’s Eve celebration at Dataran Pengkalan Rama, where Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is scheduled to launch VMY2024.
Various exciting activities, such as fireworks, art and cultural performances, and local artiste performances are planned for the event, and around 15,000 visitors are expected to attend.
Ab Rauf expressed his satisfaction with the preparations for the two events and noted that Melaka River cruise boats have been given a new look with different sponsor advertisements. He mentioned that preparations for the events have reached 50% completion.
He also shared that two art and cultural groups from Guangxi province, China, would be performing at the VMY2024 launch to symbolize the historical relationship between Melaka and China since the time of the Melaka Sultanate.
During his recent visit to Guangxi province, Ab Rauf discussed technical matters for a live broadcast of the VMY 2024 launch to the province.
