MELAKA: A private digital project, Element X, will be developed through the rebranding and upgrading of the Elements Mall Melaka building into the Integrated Metaverse e-Sport Hub Resort, involving an investment totalling RM30mil.
Melaka chief minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali said the Element X project by the Hatten Group also encompasses the development of Arena X, which will become the largest international e-sports centre in the region.
He said retrofitting works are underway and are expected to be completed by November 2022.
“Several new products will also be introduced in Element X through collaborations with several leading international companies, including Moonton Games, which is famous for the game “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang”, Focus Media Sports (Shanghai) Co Ltd and Kitamen.
“With more than 500,000 sq ft of retail space, Element X is expected to attract RM100mil worth of investments, generating almost 5,000 job opportunities for residents in the state,” he said.
He was speaking at the launch of the Smart Melaka Blueprint 2035 (SMB 2035) and Asia’s First Metaverse Immersive Experiential Mall, as well as the soft launch of the Smart Melaka International Conference 2022 in Banda Hilir yesterday, Bernama reported.
Also present were Education and Technology state executive councillor Datuk Rais Yasin and Hatten managing director Datuk Colin Tan.
Sulaiman said a commercial science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) centre will also be developed in Element X by the Melaka Revo-STEM Centre.Meanwhile, commenting on the SMB 2035, Sulaiman said the blueprint outlines the state’s strategic direction towards transforming into a smart city, with emphasis on smart initiatives and data empowerment as the main thrust to improve Melaka’s digital services.
Sulaiman said the SMB 2035 was prepared by the state’s economic planning unit together with the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology, and will guide Melaka’s digital transformation by combining digitalisation, administration, business, research and development and commercialisation as well as communities in a complete ecosystem.“The state government is also focusing on the ‘smart government’ component in SMB 2035 which is the development and empowerment of platforms and digital contents, as well as smart applications to improve digital services across the public, private, industrial sectors and the communities.
“This launch is in line with the state government’s efforts in formulating digital development through the Melakaku Maju Jaya Strategic Plan 2035 2035) under Flagship 7: Melaka Digital Education and Technology,” he said.
During the event, Sulaiman also witnessed the signing of a tripartite collaboration between Malaysia’s Sustainable and Smart Cities Organisation, Melaka ICT Holdings and Hatten Edge to implement short-term initiatives and drivers of transformation as outlined in the SMB 2035.
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