MELAKA - The Submarine Museum in Klebang ranks among the five most-visited tourist attractions under the Melaka Museum Corporation (Perzim), drawing about 90,000 visitors annually.
Perzim general manager Erne Hamsah said regular maintenance and upgrading works were essential to preserve the museum's long-term appeal and ensure visitors continued to enjoy a meaningful experience.
She said one such effort involved a five-day maintenance and upgrading programme at the Submarine Museum, which began on Oct 26 under a Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) initiative between the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and the Melaka state government.
"As an institution responsible for heritage preservation and conservation, Perzim places strong emphasis on maintaining its museum assets to ensure facilities and surroundings remain safe, well-maintained and conducive to public visits.
"The Submarine Museum is a unique tourist attraction and one of Perzim's five most popular tourism products, alongside the Maritime Museum, the History and Ethnography Museum, the Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum and Muzium Rakyat,” she said after a ceremony to mark the handover of the completed maintenance works at the Submarine Museum here.
Erne said the Submarine Museum served not only as a tourist attraction but also as an educational platform, helping visitors, particularly the younger generation, understand the importance of maritime history and national defence.
"The Submarine Museum was established to give the public an opportunity to see a real submarine up close, explore its interior and gain first-hand experience of life on board.
"It also allows visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the maritime sector and national defence, particularly submarine technology and the role of submarines in naval history,” she said.
The museum features the decommissioned SMD Ouessant, an Agosta 70-class submarine formerly based in France, which was later transported to Melaka and converted into a museum.
The submarine arrived in Melaka aboard the MV Fairpartner on Nov 13, 2011, before being opened to the public on Dec 1, 2012. -BERNAMA