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Cuisine in Melaka

MELAKA GATEWAY LAUNCHED AT PULAU MELAKA

RM40b Malacca Gateway to open doors in 2018
Posted on 7 February 2014 – 05:41am
Eva Yeong
sunbiz@thesundaily.com

MALACCA (Feb 7, 2014): The RM40 billion project in Malacca known as Melaka Gateway which will be launched by the prime minister today will open its doors to visitors in 2018.

The 609-acre project which is being developed by KAJ Development Sdn Bhd (KAJD) will see the first phase attracting some 900,000 visitors during the first year of operations, said KAJD CEO Datuk Michelle Ong.

“We expect to have 900,000 visitors in the first year including international cruise passengers,” she told reporters at a briefing here yesterday.

Ong said the first phase, which will be built on Pulau Melaka, will include Malaysia Eye, two hotels, several resorts, a heritage walk, a fashion district and a marina terminal.

“We have already started work on Malaysia Eye and it will be erected in six months’ time,” she added.

According to Ong, the company obtained the concession for the project in September 2010 and received all approvals for the project in September last year.

KAJD will be the master developer of the project and it is currently in negotiations with various potential partners and investors for the project.

Ong said it is talking to at least five international brands and will be announcing some of its partners at the launch ceremony today.

Melaka Gateway is a project with 12 precincts including residential, commercial, cultural, entertainment and lifestyle elements. It is scheduled for completion by 2025.

The 12 precincts are Gateway Entertainment Precinct, Melaka Marina Cruise Centre, Melaka Historical Walk, Gateway Maritime Arena Beacon, Branded Fashion District, International Theme Park, Melaka Cultural Walk, Waterfront Marina Villas Resorts, Gateway Wellness Lifestyle Precinct, Melaka Skyline Apartments, Lohas Park Residences and Eco Isle Resorts.

Its marina terminal will be the largest in Asia, tapping into the growing number of cruise ships plying the route which currently do not stop at Malacca due to lack of facilities.

KAJD chief operations officer Gavin Lau said the marina terminal alone will cost some RM600 million.

“It will be able to handle three cruise ships at the same time,” he said.

Lau said funding for the project will be a combination of internal funds, partnerships and bank borrowings.

He said some of the land, especially the residential portions, may be sold to other property developers while some parts of the project will be jointly developed with other partners and investors.

“There are 12 zones in total and there will be a lot of international operators. Some of the properties will be developed by other developers, some on our own and some with partners,” he added.

KAJD which is predominantly a construction company, currently manages Malacca Zoo and Bird Park. It was also the company that undertook the revamp of Malacca River.

Categories
Cuisine in Melaka

MALAYSIA EYE TO BE BUILT IN MELAKA

Friday March 16, 2012
By ALLISON LAI

New giant ferris wheel for Malacca

MALACCA: Malacca will get a new giant ferris wheel from China to replace the previous structure that was shut down and removed two years ago after a 10-month legal tussle.

Dubbed the Malaysia Eye, the new 88m-tall giant ferris wheel from China will be built at Pulau Melaka by a local company. It is expected to be operational by June 1.

The previous 62m-tall Eye On Malaysia ferris wheel, a joint venture between MST Ad Suria Sdn Bhd and state-owned Eye On Malaysia Sdn Bhd, ceased operations in 2010 after Belgian owner Fitraco MV took possession of the wheel on Jan 7 that year over an RM18mil debt by MST Ad Suria.

The wheel was removed by Fitraco in October the same year.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the new structure would be shipped to Malacca by the end of this month and piling work at the man-made island would start next week.

“We are hopeful that the ferris wheel would be operational by June 1, in time for the school holidays,” he told reporters after presenting the special government school aid to 255 pupils at SK Datuk Demang Hussin in Bukit Katil here on Wednesday evening.

Mohd Ali said the state government was not involved in the RM40mil project, to be carried out by KAJ Development Sdn Bhd.

“The giant structure will be inistalled on a 0.8ha site, which will also be acquired by the company,” he said.

Mohd Ali said that with a new and taller ferris wheel, Pulau Melaka would be developed further with attractions.

Asked about the quality of the China-made ferris wheel, he said: “Not all products from China are of low quality.

“This time we will make sure what we get is of good quality and safe for public use.”

The state government, in recent years, had been criticised for acquiring China-made coaches for its Malacca river monorail system, stretching 1.6km from Taman Rempah in Pengkalan Rama to Kampung Bunga Raya Pantai.

Hours after it was opened to the public on Oct 21, 2010, the monorail ground to a halt, stranding 20 passengers.

There has since been a series of test runs and rectifications, besides plans to extend the line.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp…207sec=nation
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