Sure it will happen? — Netizens doubt Disneyland plans in Malaysia, which is said to become the biggest in Southeast Asia

“The date of completion is the most challenging part,” said a netizen, sharing similar opinions with others on the plans to build a Disneyland theme park in Melaka.

A Disneyland and Disney City will be built in the state come 2027, said Melaka’s State Heritage and Culture Committee chairman Muhammad Jailani Khamis on Malaysian media on Tuesday (Nov 15). The theme park will be built on 80.9ha of land in Jasin, Melaka and will be the first and largest Disneyland in Southeast Asia.

Buletin TV3 reported that the project would cost around RM2 billion (S$600 million). “Even though it might not be so large, I feel that it will be more than enough to live up to the Disneyland name, which is an achievement that we’re bringing to our shores,” Muhammad Jailani Khamis was quoted as saying. He expects the theme park to assist in reaching the goal of having 20 million tourists a year in three years.

Meanwhile, the latest factsheet officially released by Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products (DPEP) states new developments in existing attractions only in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo. DPEP did not mention a new theme park in Malaysia and has yet to confirm the news.

The Independent Singapore has reached out to DPEP for a statement and will update the article accordingly.

Disney has six resort destinations with 12 theme parks and 53 resorts in the United States, Europe and Asia. Three more ships are slated to be added to its top-rated cruise lines in 2022, 2024 and 2025.

Netizens also expressed some doubts about the completion of the project, asking if it would really happen.

“Many many years ago, we have heard of that. At this stage, I don’t think it deserves any serious attention just yet. But to be fair, for Malaysians, they would love this to happen just like any other citizen of any country if Disneyland finally decides to open in the country. Looking forward to more updates on the progress(talks),” said a Facebook user.

“Imagination started to flow when it is in the planning stage. The date of completion is the most challenging part. Whether it can complete on time or not is another question. The project may not incubate at all due to rampant corruption that the country is well-known for. But I still hope the project be successfully launched without any manmade hiccups,” added another netizen. /TISG

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