PERAK’S capital city is set to become a favourite with travellers once more as Ipoh City Council (MBI) and Railway Asset Corporation (RAC) undertake upgrades at Ipoh Railway Station.
Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the upgrading, financed via private funding, would start at the end of this year, as reported by Bernama.
“The RAC, which will regulate the budget, told us that the project contractor will be appointed in August,” he told the media after chairing a council meeting at MBI Hall in Ipoh, Perak.
Renovations will involve basic facilities as well as the Majestic Hotel that has been abandoned for 13 years.
“As for the Majestic Hotel, it will be fully renovated and our expectation is for it to be the hotel of choice for tourists coming to Ipoh,” said Rumaizi.
Meanwhile, the mayor said MBI was ready to cooperate with any party to conserve abandoned heritage buildings which could be turned into tourism spots.
This approach was more realistic because it would be costly to repair or refurbish a building, he said.
“We cannot fully depend on the city council because there are many other sectors requiring assistance and support.
“So, collaboration is one of the most realistic methods,” he added.
A report by Perak Heritage Society identified 39 historical buildings in Ipoh that have been classified as damaged or destroyed.
These include Rumah 1903 in Kampung Kuchai, Majestic Cinema in Jalan CM Yusuf and the Ipoh Old Post Office in Jalan Sultan Iskandar.
Meanwhile, eight buildings in the city centre have been categorised as abandoned.
Two of these are the Toh Domba residence in Kampung Kepayang and the underground WWII air shelter at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport.
Rumaizi is optimistic that these tourism developments will curb poverty as well as transform the image of Ipoh, which is commonly known as a “pensioners’ town”.
He is confident that tourism can generate income for thousands of the city’s population.
