Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong has urged the state government to review and cancel what he called “white elephant” projects under the Melaka Waterfront Economic Zone (M-WEZ).
This comes after the blueprint for the M-WEZ was published recently, more than a year after the 25,000-acre (10,117-hectare) economic development zone project was launched in April 2021.
“Upon review, various ‘white elephant’ proposals can be found in the blueprint,” Khoo said in a statement today.
White elephants refer to burdensome, expensive, or useless possessions that are much more trouble than they are worth.
He identified the white elephant projects as the 200m M-WEZ tower, the ‘welcome’ gateway, 22 bridges with an estimated cost of RM216 million, the M-WEZ Sky Wheel, water chalets, water canals, as well as high-rise luxury condominiums and offices.
He questioned whether these proposals will truly benefit the people, as claimed by Malacca Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali during M-WEZ’s launch last April.
“For example, the proposal to build 22 bridges with an estimated cost of RM216 million is illogical.
“Such funds can be used to develop other basic infrastructure such as flood mitigation works or agri-food industries, which will bring much more benefit to the people,” Khoo said.
He then pointed to the failure of the Melaka Gateway project, which was launched by the previous BN government.
The project would reportedly bring in billions in investment and create 40,000 jobs, but today, the Melaka Gateway has been abandoned and is causing massive environmental pollution to the surrounding area, he said.
While he acknowledged there are progressive ideas in the M-WEZ blueprint, such as transit-oriented development, recreational parks, and smart cities, he said these ideas should be prioritised and implemented without the “white elephant” proposals.
The M-WEZ is currently the largest land reclamation project in Malaysia, spanning 25,000 acres across 33km of Malacca’s coastal area, which Khoo said would affect the environmental sustainability of the area and completely change the natural landscape of the state.
“Malacca has an alluring coastal area and it is also rich in cultural and historical heritage.
“The state government should leverage on this uniqueness and not waste funds on white elephant projects under M-WEZ,” he added. - Mkini
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