Visit Malaysia Year: Malacca crocodile farm a real letdown

This is my letter to the editor, published by the New Straits Times on 8th June 2007.

By : AHMAD IHSAN MOHAMMAD, Kuala Lumpur

DURING this Visit Malaysia Year, I assumed all tourist attractions would be spruced up to draw visitors.

In the case of Malacca, visitor expectations would have been raised by the slogan adopted by the state:"Visit Malacca Means Visit Malaysia".

Yet, after my recent trip to the state, I must ask if the state has not set too high a bar for its tourism efforts.

Take, for example, the state’s crocodile farm. The farm is in a sorry state. It is not well maintained and I wonder whether it is really ready for visitors.

The free stage performance by a "magician" is hardly suitable for children.
What frustrates me most was that the farm has done little to inform visitors about wildlife, especially crocodiles.

The least the managers can do is to put up a sign showing what types of crocodiles it has and information on the crocodile’s habitat.

As it is, the "Visit Malacca Means Visit Malaysia" slogan needs to be discontinued at the farm as it does more harm than good for the image of Malaysia.