MELAKA: The historic Church of St Francis Xavier, a 176-year-old icon located in the core zone of Melaka’s World Heritage Site, urgently requires assistance from the state government to restore its ageing structure, says Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong.
He highlighted the significance of preserving the church, which stands as an enduring symbol of the state’s heritage.
“I urge the state government to assist the church’s stakeholders in securing funds for its restoration and to conserve this vital piece of history,” he said yesterday.
The estimated cost of the restoration is RM6mil, a daunting sum to raise, he added.
Khoo had earlier presented RM247,744 from the Housing and Local Government Ministry’s Non-Islamic House of Worship programme and an additional RM50,000 from his parliamentary allocation to the church’s committee in Bandar Hilir.
He said all restoration efforts must comply with guidelines set by Unesco, due to the church’s historical value.
“Hence, certain construction materials for the restoration have to be sourced from Europe,” he added.
The restoration, which began early last year, is scheduled for completion by July.
Khoo also said he would propose for additional support from the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry.
“Missionaries arrived here over 400 years ago, it is only fitting that the state government helps to preserve this legacy,” he said.
