Sunday, June 22, 2008

RM40mil for Eye Over Malacca

It has gone unnoticed. Just days after the fuel price hike, the Malaccan government announced that it was going to put up a RM40mil "Eye Over Malacca" in its bid to attract tourists to the state. This is the same overpriced ferris wheel which KL wants to get rid off. Under a joint venture with a private company, the ferris wheel would be shifted to the state. It will be operational by October. For RM40mil, we would like to know how long it will take to get back the money. The state is hoping to get 700,000 visitors. It will be placed next to a RM24mil marina. This is the state which once boasted of having 1,001 museums. And as we talk about a ferris wheel, Singapore has beat us with a government sponsored Perakanan Museum. Sure, there are private homes in the state which are opened to the public but the Peranakan heritage surely deserves better support, and in some promotions, Singapore is claiming the museum is the only one in the world! For RM40mil, we can do better things. We can argue till the cows come home that in Malacca, the whole state is a living museum for the Babas and Nyoyas. But out in the highly competitive tourism market, Singapore will be telling tourists a different thing. Let's hope the RM40mil won't become a black eye for Malacca.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the ferris wheel must be gold plated. RM40 MIL is a LOT OF MONEY. You can build 2 off 45 tonnes per hour palm oil mills and still have money left over. Something's wrong with this pricing.

Anonymous said...

Typical. As people are suffering from the fuel hike, the government is spending money on feris wheels!

How about using that money to boost the public transportation system? Once that's done, tourism will be better as it's easier to get around. How about less expensive initiatives like making it easier for tourists to get around tourist spots?

Maybe I should be hired to promote tourism in Malaysia! ;)

- Totally annoyed

Samuel Goh Kim Eng said...

What can we really see with the most expensive 'eye'
Right high up going round and round in the open sky
Hopefully it won't become another white elephant in a pie
That will make its disappearance before too long bye and bye

(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 220608
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Sun. 22nd June 2008.

Anonymous said...

So, Malaccans, are you all going to accept this "eye in the sky" abuseof your tax money? Or are you all going to tell your ADUNs straight in the face that you cannot accept this nonsense? Especially when you just got socked in the face with a 41% price increase of petrol, and were asked to change your life style and tighten your belts. Malaccans, you got to stand up and be heard, that you will not tolerate this abuse of your tax money.

Anonymous said...

I smell a rat. When schemes and projects look silly, there is always a rat hiding in there somewhere. The ACA should investigate. And the rakyat of malacca should not accept this Eye in the sky nonsense.

Simply Great Food said...

Why can't the government learnt and grow-up. Why need to waste so much of money when it's not worth it at all. Be prudent in spending when the price of fuel is shooting up. Think of more creative and local ideas in promoting tourism. It's mind boggling when you cannot promote your own stuff and need to invest in some machine which cannot make back your investment. If the tourism board runs out of idea of tourism product, get an entirely private entity to run it.

Anonymous said...

The ferris wheel is not gold plated. Somebody's pocket is gold plated.

Anonymous said...

Sing to the tune of the Beatles' "Lucy in the sky with diamonds":
"Ferris wheel in the sky with diamonds. whoa..oh.
Picture yourself in a boat by the river,
Sipping champagne and spending the rakyat's money. ..ta..daa.da..da"
What a good life to be buying stuff using the rakyat's money. Can somebody tell me how I can get a job as a purchasing manager in the malacca state government?

sinnersaint:saintsinner said...

People of Malacca,

Get that idiotic CM to resign, what 700K tourist, he is probably living in the "twilight zone".

No ones gonna take the ride, peoples pockets are badly hurt, he should take the 40M and distribute to the needy, rice, milk, sugar, daily breads to school etc etc etc.

Makan banyak tapai kut, sudah karat kekeke, suruh dia belah la.

amoker said...

I tot we already paid RM40 million to bring it over. Now, paying another RM40 million?

Ali Rustam wants some milleage before the UMNO GE?

Anonymous said...

moses

follow the money trail and you will find the answer. this has been almost perfected by mahatir in the name of economic empowerment for the selected few and badawi just cant stop the gravy train despite his pledges after taking over the rein. tragically now, its like if you cant beat them, join them.

Unknown said...

Correct me if I am wrong because I am not that good with figures but just thinking with my 2 cents.

Just to break even the cost of RM 40M with 700,000 visitors, it would cost approximately RM 57.14 per visitor. How about operating and administration cost? How much would that be. Thus how much would be the retail value of the entry ticket be to break even not to mention make money. Would the cost of the ticket then be attractive enough to earn the promised tourist revenue? Who are they bluffing again? This project really smells fishy!

With the rising cost, the RM 40M can be put to better use like providing effecient public transport services and ensuring security for all Malaysian using the public transport by having more police patrol so that snatch thieves and rapists are kept at bay. The question to ask now is why are our elected government cheating and robbing us again! Did Malaysian raykat make a serious mistake during the March election? It is not 'check and balance' that is needed but to kick them all out once and for all and go for a complete change. It couldn't be worst off.

As it is now, the BN government is not offering us any better future after elections except continuing with their marauding ways.

Anonymous said...

It is better to use the RM40 Million to pay for water for the rakyat than a blady ferris wheel white elephant. But then again, the Melakans voted these jokers into the state government, so I guess maybe the Melakans prefer to be taken for a ride on the ferris wheel. Afterall we have to respect the Melakans' choice of government.
And we are not seeing the Melakans coming out to voice their disapproval. So who are we non-Melakans to complain about their state government's style of spending?

Anonymous said...

WASTE OF TIME+WASTE OF MONEY

Ah Chin said...

'Eye' over Malacca? 'Eyesore' would be the more appropriate word. These UMNO guys never learn, do they? Don't expect them to care because this is another chance to fill up their pockets. You see, more projects, more kickbacks.

Malaccan view said...

Wong,
I have posted in my blog months ago regarding this issue.I am not sure whether this is another 'Wheel of Fortune ' that the stupid Mohd Ali Rustam going to put.If true,then Malacca not only have the most muziums but also Ferrie Wheels..look how our BN(UMNO) run gov!!!

Anonymous said...

More stupidity. Now the IGP, AG, and the PM are behaving like judges instead of letting the court be the judge of RPK's allegations. Before the allegations are investigated, they are talking like RPK is guilty already. Let everybody, both accuser and accused, have a chance to defend themselves.

xenobiologista said...

Even the original Eye in London is getting fewer visitors than when it originally opened. So much for the Pandang Timur doctrine. Not only are we still copying the Westerners' ideas, we're copying unprofitable ideas.

Besides, what exactly is so great about Melaka's skyline? Not like it has skyscrapers or what. Houses...houses...trees...lots of gray polluted seawater.

Unknown said...

...But they need it, otherwise, how can 'someone, somewhere' make more bucks out of this deal?

I doubt many will go there, I for one have no interest.

I agree with the first anon...RM40millions? must be gold plated!!!

Such rubbish planning...all in the expense of suffering Rakyats.

Anonymous said...

As a Malaccan, I am utterly horrified at the thought of another useless and expensive eye sore to "attract tourists". It is a shame that these people have skewed ideas of what would attract tourists. The Malacca government should be focusing on things with historical and cultural values. Instead of a monstrous piece of metal, why not have living museums showcasing and preserving soon-to-be extinct communities such as the Baba Nyonya, Chitties and Portugis? I am pretty sure that these would attract more tourists than Eye of Melaka.