President Tony Tan given tour of Malacca's heritage

MALACCA - President Tony Tan Keng Yam experienced first-hand the rich heritage shared by Malaysia and Singapore on Friday as he ended his first state visit across the Causeway on a high note in Malacca. He dropped by the Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Asian Architectural and Urban Heritage, a field school in architectural and urban conservation run by the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Housed in two conserved townhouses, the centre is a base for an annual programme on urban studies involving architecture students from NUS and Universiti Malaya. Yesterday, Dr Tan also visited historical sites in Malacca, which, like Singapore, was formerly under the British Straits Settlements. These included St Paul's Hill and the Baba and Nyonya Museum, where scenes from the popular Singapore TV serial Little Nyonya were filmed.

Earlier in the day, Dr Tan was warmly received by an old friend, Governor of Malacca Mohd Khalil Yaakob, at the Istana Melaka. Dr Tan also met Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron.

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