Melaka: Four giant screens will be installed on February 20 around the Stadthuys and several other locations for the Bahtera Merdeka public gathering in conjunction with this year’s anniversary of the declaration of the independence date of the Federation of Malaya. Mayor of the Historic Melaka City Council (MBMB), Datuk Shadan Othman, announced that the screens will enable visitors to witness the activities and programmes taking place around the location, starting at 9 pm.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the screens will be strategically placed around the area, including along Jalan Laksamana, with installation set to begin this Monday. The council will assist the state government in managing traffic and parking arrangements. At this stage, no roads will be closed, as the event will follow the same approach as the weekend Car-Free Zone.

The announcement was made following the Back to School free haircut programme in Paya Rumput, officiated by the senior state executive councillor for Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change, and Disaster Management, Datuk Rais Yasin. Shadan also mentioned that more than 4,000 parking spaces will be available around Banda Hilir, along with other facilities such as public restrooms for visitors’ convenience.

In addition to the giant screen installations, 11 tourism attractions will offer free admission on February 20. These attractions include Melaka Zoo, Menara Taming Sari, the Melaka River Cruise, and various museums under the Melaka Museum Corporation.