Melaka Umno Museum is located along Jalan Kota, in Bandar
Hilir, which is the museum belt of Malacca. The museum showcases historical
exhibits related to the founding and struggles. Among the items displayed are
old photographs, letters and other documents. The reason to site the museum in
Malacca is, among others, because Umno was founded in that state. Also, being
the brainchild of Malacca Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, it is
part of the plan to build 21 museums in Malacca – certainly a plan that pushes
for quantity over quality.
Tag: Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam
New Straits Times
Monday, May 27, 2013
MALACCA – Malaysia’s first Chinese pagoda-inspired mosque will be completed in April next year.
State Chinese Muslim Association (Pertim) chairman Mohd Mansor Yap Abdullah said the mosque, estimated to cost about RM7.5 million (S$3.13 million), would be located at Krubong, near here, and would not only cater to Chinese Muslims in the state, but all Muslims.
He said the mosque, which was being built on a 2.4ha site, would be a combination of the architectural designs of several mosques in Beijing, Shanghai and Xian.
“This mosque will be the first in the country which will incorporate the pagoda in its design.
“Hopefully, it will become a tourist attraction. I also hope that the mosque will open doors for the Chinese community to have closer ties with the Muslim community, fostering better understanding between both communities.”
Mansor added that the mosque would implement a natural ventilation concept.
“The main prayer space will be able to cater up to 2,000 Muslims at one time, while the outer prayer space will have room for up to 3,000 ummah,” he said after visiting the mosque’s construction site here yesterday.
Construction of the mosque’s main building began earlier this year through an allocation of RM5.9 million from the Federal Government, which was approved by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in October 2011.
An additional RM1.6 million was later contributed towards the project from donations, as well as a state government fund set up by former chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.
Mansor said once the mosque was completed, Pertim’s office would be moved there to facilitate the association’s activities and programmes for the community.
“The mosque will also offer facilities, such as a funeral rites room, meeting rooms and a library.
“The Chinese Muslim community here is excited about the mosque, as their dream of having a Chinese pagoda-inspired mosque will soon be realised.”
JURASSIC PARK IN MELAKA
Melaka plans RM200m Jurassic Park
News 2013-02-26 11:33
MELAKA, Feb 25 (Bernama) — Melaka plans to build a Jurassic Park, a dinosaur theme park, costing RM200 million at the 1Malaysia Square here, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.
He said the park, the first tour of its kind in Asia, which would showcase 200 species of dinosaurs through hydraulic and electronic methods, was expected to draw over one million tourists a year.
The Jurassic Park, which will be built on a 12.1 ha site by Yayasan Melaka and Eden Incorporation Berhad, will two years to be completed after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in March, he told reporters after attending a briefing on the projects at Seri Negeri here today.
Mohd Ali said a 60.7 ha site next to the Jurassic Park at the 1Malaysia Square had also been earmarked for the construction of the Melaka Sea World which would have the largest whale aquarium in the country.
Other projects earmarked for the 1Malaysia Square are a RM2 million Malaysia Map Square, 21 bus restaurants and 20 bus chalets costing RM2.7 million, and three football fields costing RM1.4 million.
ZHENG HE RETURNS TO MELAKA
Wednesday January 30, 2013
Zheng He ‘returns’ to Malacca
By R.S.N.MURALI
murali@thestar.com.my
Epic voyage: A replica of the vessel helmed by Zheng He in Jonker Walk, Malacca.
MALACCA: Legend has it that Admiral Zheng He and his armada left his home port of Nanjing in China for their epic voyage to India in the Year of the Snake in the 1400s. Along the way they stopped at Malacca.
To mark the auspicious year of his voyage, the Chinese community will display a huge replica of the ship used by the admiral in the city’s world-famous Jonker Street, touted as the pulse of the community here.
Measuring 30m in length and 23m-high, it weighs close to two tonnes and resembles the original Chinese junk used by Zheng He in his sea travels.
Two cranes hoisted the replica to its above-ground berth on Friday night.
State MCA chief Datuk Gan Tian Loo said the replica, assembled by local craftsmen, would be displayed on two pillars that support the artificial junk, the names of the countries the admiral had sailed to.
Zheng He had reputedly sailed to 30 nations across Asia and Africa.
Gan said the craftsmen had incorporated intricate designs from the original vessel into the replica.
“It will be the icon of this historic city during the celebrations,” he said, adding thousands of visitors are expected to view the boat during the festive season.
“The city is ready to welcome the Year of the Snake in style, with carnivals and shows to mark the auspicious event,” he said, adding that Zheng He’s boat will complement the 1Malaysia dragons that adorn Jonker Street to mark the outgoing Year of the Dragon.
One of the dragons, dubbed the Prosperity Dragon, measures 121m-long, and is the longest outdoor dragon effigy in Malaysia.
The Harmony Dragon comes a close second at 91m.
Meanwhile, Temple Street , also known as Harmony Street in the old section of Malacca city, was lit with hundreds of red lanterns and coloured lights on Saturday.
Several arches and billboards with festive greetings and messages already festoon Jonker Street.
Hundreds jammed the streets in the historical hub as Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam led a team of community leaders that included MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Jonker Walk committee adviser Datuk Wira Gan Boon Leong to light the lanterns to usher in the new year.
Earlier, several lion dance troupes, musicians, dancers, performers and entertainers, showcased their talents in various performances to entertain the public and foreign tourists.
Melaka govt to copy thousands of BM transcripts in Europe
Posted on 3 January 2013 – 08:57pm
Last updated on 3 January 2013 – 09:56pm
MELAKA (Jan 3, 2013): The Melaka Government wants to collect tens of thousands of Bahasa Melayu manuscripts in Europe as sources of reference for research and development of the language through the International Malay Letters Centre of Excellence which was set up, here, today.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said, a visit would be made to the Leiden University, the premier Bahasa Melayu centre in the world and the oldest university in Holland, to seek its cooperation, on the matter.
“The maiden effort to gather copies of the manuscripts and other collections is to boost Bahasa Melayu to an era of excellence as found during the Melaka Sultanate,” he said after the launching of the centre in Air Keroh, here, today.
Also present were Melaka State Secretary Datuk Wira Omar Kaseh, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Board of Governor chairman Prof Datuk Dr Md Salleh Yaapar and DBP director-general DBP Dr Awang Sariyan.
According to Mohd Ali, the centre which was operating on the 10th floor of the Melaka Foundation Building, and headed by a director, was also proposed as the organiser of seminars and workshops for Bahasa Melayu.
Other than Leiden, Mohd Ali said, the Melaka Government would also work with other European nations such as England and Portugal to copy the Bahasa Melayu transcripts and documents in their collections.
Meanwhile, Md Salleh, who was visiting professor at Leiden University from 2003 to 2006, said the university had almost 100,000 Bahasa Melayu manuscripts since the Dutch invaded the Malay Archipelago in the 17th century.
He said, the effort of the state government in setting up the centre of excellence, would give a positive impact in the expansion of Bahasa Melayu, and economic returns in the long run. – Bernama