MELAKA: Stop turning Melaka into a global laughing stock by claiming that Disneyland is coming here, says Khoo Poay Tiong.
The incumbent Kota Melaka MP asked Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali to clarify the report that Disneyland and Disney City Theme Park will be developed in Jasin by the year 2027.
"Sulaiman should make a bold move to act against his official who issued the statement that is allegedly tantamount to churning out untrue information.
"Local and even Singapore news portals have reported today the development as fake news by confirming the development with The Walt Disney Company in the United States that had caused a big embarrassment to Melaka," he said in a statement on Thursday (Nov 17).
Khoo said the state government should be more responsible when issuing statements on such mega projects.
"You can't simply go and claim Superman and Ultraman are coming to Melaka and hold a press conference.
"In a nutshell, we want to see what Sulaiman's next step of action is as this is a serious matter that has tarnished the reputation and the integrity of the state," he said.
On Tuesday (Nov 15), Melaka tourism committee chairman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis said that a Disneyland and Disney City Theme Park will be developed at a 80.9ha site in Jasin by 2027.
The park will reportedly be the first Disney park established in South-East Asia after China, Korea, Europe and Japan, and that its construction will cost about RM2bil.
Khoo also commended the state media for not reporting the news on the proposed Disneyland development.
"You can't go and get angry with the media when they are doubtful of certain preposterous projects and refrain from asking questions during a press conference held at a hotel in Ayer Keroh here.
On the same day (Nov 15), Melaka Media Practitioners Club (Pendika) president Amir Mamat expressed its disappointment over an offensive statement made by the state exco member in front of a group of South Korean investors and a local company.
Amir said it was disappointing to hear Muhammad Jailani tell one of the guests that "they (the local media) have a communication problem and can’t speak English fluently, they can understand but cannot converse”.
Amir said the exco had said this when the media did not pose questions to one of the South Korean officials at the end of the press conference that was presided by him.
The journalists said they did not ask questions as they felt that the event to announce a mega project in the state was without proper information and was not organised accordingly.
