Malacca – The Historic City of Malaysia

Promoting Tourism through Cultural Preservation

Former Chief Minister of Malacca speaks to FOT

Commercially known as the Venice of the East, Malacca’s narrative however, dates back over 750 years and is shaped by its rich history and colorful past. FOT caught up with Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam, the ninth Chief Minister of the State of Malacca, Malaysia from 1999-2013. Under his leadership, Malacca was declared as a developed state after it fulfilled 32 indicators according to specifications set by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In July 2008, Malacca, together with Georgetown, was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), as Historic Cities of Malaysia.

In an FOT exclusive, Tan Sri Hj. Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam speaks on tourism, the preservation of heritage and Sri Lanka-Malaysia relations. Here are some excerpts from the interview.

Under your leadership, Malacca prospered, which was also seen in the tourism sector. How was this done and what was the strategy you used?

During my term as Chief Minister, one of the main things I successfully did was to preserve the state as a UNESCO protected area, which meant that any old architecture and developments remained the same during my time and any new leadership that takes it on thereafter. This meant that for example, when there are any new developments, we must retain the old architecture and if the height of the old building is 03 to 04 stories, then the new building should also be no more than 04 stories. By doing so, we have been able to maintain many of our historical sites that Malacca has become famous for and been able to capitalize on the cultural tourism aspects of this.

What are your thoughts on Sri Lankan and Malaysian relations? Also in your experience as Chief Minister, what do you see for the future of tourism in Sri Lanka, by 2030?

Malaysia and Sri Lanka have a very long history and we share many things in common, including our colonial pasts. A small percentage of Sri Lankans are also able to trace their ancestry back to Malaysia, so it’s fair to say that both countries have a strong relationship. During the last few years, there have been many students from Sri Lanka also coming to Malaysia for their higher education, because it has become a more affordable option than going to Australia or outside of Asia.

For Sri Lanka in particular, there is a lot more that can be done with tourism. The country has a rich past and many of its places of cultural and historical importance have been well preserved and these places need to be shown to the world. Also, as a developing country that has a flair in ICT literacy and technology, Sri Lanka needs to start capitalizing on these efforts. The idea is to find these niche areas that the country can develop in the coming years and mold it in a way that can also be used towards the development of the tourism sector.

In keeping with our promise to “Talk, Write and Act for the Future of Tourism”, we will be talking to more people and writing about other cities around the world, who have made maximum use of available resources while preserving their culture and heritage to develop tourism, from whom we can learn something, and then following up to ensure that necessary action is taken and required changes are made, to develop, sustain and maintain the future of tourism in Sri Lanka.

Got something to say about this? Get in touch. We’re at info@fot.lk.

Christ Church, Malacca -The Dutch conquest of Malacca from the Portuguese Empire in 1641 saw the proscription of Roman Catholicism and the conversion of existing churches for Dutch Reformed use. The old St. Paul’s Church, at the summit of St. Paul’s Hill was renamed the Bovenkerk (Upper Church) and used as the main parish church of the Dutch community.