IPOH: Works to restore the historic Tanjung Tualang 5 (TT5) tin dredge in Batu Gajah are in full swing, and have not been abandoned as claimed by certain quarters, Menteri Besar Incorporated (MB Inc) chief executive officer, Datuk Aminudin Hashim, said yesterday.
In fact, the TT5 tin dredge, which is being converted into a heritage museum, is slated to open its doors next year.
Aminudin said the area will also feature other attractions, including facilities for extreme sports and camping sites.
"As the organisation responsible of preserving the site, we are spending RM12 million from our own coffers to carry our plating on the structure's pontoon, that will hold the structure and prevent it from sinking, as well as building amenities like toilets, a surau and a visitor centre," he told the New Straits Times.
Aminidun said the site is also currently being used as a backdrop for film shoots by local productions, which helps promote the tin dredge.
He clarified that restoration of the original structure had cost only RM4 million, and that the fund was not sourced from the state government, as claimed by Perak Amanah chairman, Asmuni Awi, in a statement recently.
"Claims made by Asmuni, who said that the (state) government is spending RM30 million for the project, are inaccurate. Although the estimation by our engineers was indeed RM30 million, we managed to bring the cost down.
"(In addition, Asmuni) claimed that nothing is being done at the site, and this is not true. I can even bring (him) for a tour there to show what is currently being done.
"Restoration works can't be done in a hasty manner, as we want to ensure that the structure is totally safe for visitors," he said.
The TT5 tin dredge, which was built in the 1930s, is the last of its kind in Malaysia, and was handed to MB Inc through the state government in 2015 for restoration purposes.