Speaking to FMT, Ayer Keroh assemblyman Khoo Poay Tiong said the monorail served no purpose.
“Initially, when the government proposed to have a monorail in Melaka, it was to reduce traffic congestion.
“But when the monorail began operations, the government said it was to boost tourism in Melaka.”
Khoo added however that the monorail service in Melaka was not the same as the one in Kuala Lumpur.
“This monorail moves at 20km per hour. It is definitely not a mode of transportation that the locals can opt for.
“Even for tourists, there is the river cruise that is operating along the monorail line. Tourists will go for that,” he said.
Instead of spending money on the monorail service, Khoo said the government should have used the funds to maintain heritage buildings in the state which required refurbishment, such as the old court house.
“The old court house is a piece of history that should be preserved. It is an interesting building and was built before Malaysia got its independence. Instead, it was abandoned and nothing is being done with it,” he said.
The Melaka monorail service was launched in October 2010. It reportedly ground to a halt just hours after opening, stranding 20 passengers on board.
By December, it was no longer operational due to a series of technical problems.
Khoo said the developers later requested more funds to extend the second phase of the monorail line.
“They said this would solve the technical issues faced in the first phase of the project.”
In total, he said, the government had spent some RM38 million for both phases of the monorail, which only runs for 1.6km.
Melaka city mayor Zainal Hussin had said the monorail service would commence operations from 10am to 10pm on weekdays, with extended hours until midnight on weekends.
He said for now, only one coach would be running, which could accommodate up to 15 people for a 30-minute ride.
The monorail line, which costs RM10 per ticket, connects Taman Rempah to the Hang Tuah Station on Jalan Bunga Raya.
However, some have questioned whether it will be able to attract tourists in the state.
Abigail Lee, 25, said RM10 was too expensive for such a short train ride.
“The one in Kuala Lumpur connects several popular shopping locations, and from one end of a station to the other, it costs only RM4.10. What will tourists see on the Melaka monorail?
“If they are talking about sightseeing, the river that runs along the monorail line is an eyesore. It needs to be cleaned up.”
Lee said the existing river cruise cost RM10.60 per ride and was more entertaining despite the stench from water pollution.
Another local tourist, Nadia Ahmad, 27, said she would prefer to walk as there were restaurants located along the river.
“The pavement along the river is quite a pleasant stroll and is quite scenic, with murals painted on the heritage buildings. I would rather walk so that I can photograph the murals, and if I get hungry, I stop by for a quick snack.
“But whenever I’m in Melaka, I don’t spend much time by the riverfront simply because it smells polluted. I spend most of my time at Jonker Walk and when I bring friends, we also prefer to spend our entire day at Jonker Walk.”
Nadia said the monorail did not look appealing, and that tourists could take the river cruise for the same amount of money.
“Why would anyone go to Melaka to sit on a monorail?” she asked.
Local Ken Tan, 33, who frequents the riverfront walk, agreed that not many would pay RM10 for a monorail ride along the river.
“I frequent the riverfront as it is a nice stretch to take evening jogs. If people in Melaka want to get around, they usually drive,” he said, adding that the queue for the river cruise was usually very long, even on weekdays.
“They want to enjoy the breeze while they are on the boat. If the government is familiar with tourists who come to Melaka, they are usually from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
“In these cities, the rail facilities are definitely more advanced. Why would they pay so much to ride on a monorail that travels to no where?” he said.