Reviving Melaka's bygone railway network part of initiatives to expand tourism, says CM

MELAKA: The revival of Melaka's bygone railway network is part of the 175 initiatives introduced by Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali to make Melaka a prosperous and progressive state.

Sulaiman said reliving the historic railway would aid development of the tourism industry in the Alor Gajah and Jasin districts.

"We must explore more tourism opportunities outside the heart of the historic city and making the historic Melaka railway a tourist product is one way," he said on Wednesday (Aug 26).

Sulaiman said the initiatives would come under the purview of 11 state executive councillor portfolios, with 39 under his care.

He said the initiatives would be tabled in the upcoming weekly exco meeting before being implemented.

"The initiatives are designed to benefit locals," he said.

Sulaiman said the initiatives are the beginning of a new chapter to ensure the well-being and prosperity of the local community.

"We no longer want to make empty promises and the efforts must ensure the initiatives materialise," he added.

Melaka was among the earliest states in the country to have a rail link, with a 32km track from Pulau Sebang station near Tampin in Negri Sembilan to the historic city.

Laid down by the British administration in 1905, the station holds many memories for residents nearby, who until today are known as the “Melaka's Railway Children”.

The service was managed by the then Malacca Government Railway before the tracks were said to have been dismantled by the Japanese army and transported to the Thailand and Myanmar border as materials for the 415km-long railway project where some 102,000 workers eventually died during World War II.

The Star featured the rail link in an article on the ruins of the Alor Gajah railway station in Jalan Keretapi in Pengkalan, Alor Gajah on July 26.