MUAR, MALAYSIA: The municipal council here has decided to trace and promote all historical sites and tourism-related products in the villages in the district.

Council president Abdul Wahab Ridwan said the plan was to attract tourists, especially those outside Muar.

He said the district had historical sites such as Kota Buruk near Tanjung Selabu where the founder of the Malacca Sultanate, Parameswara, stayed for more than 10 years.

He said there was also the grave of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah 1 in Kampung Raja near Pagoh and the site of the Bentayan fortress at the mouth of Sg Bentayan in the town.

"We want to promote sites which have historical value besides tourism-related products we have in the villages," he said during a visit to villages between Sg Sarang Buaya in Sg Balang and Tanjung Selabu near Jorak recently.

Abdul Wahab, who took a group of councillors with him said there were about 12 home-stay houses in Sg Balang.

He said several such homes in Kampung Sungai Sarang Buaya and Kampung Parit Bugis had been attracting visitors from Singapore, Sarawak and even Australia.

He said all home-stay operators in Sg Balang provided meals to visitors and fruits such as durian, duku and rambutan during the fruit season.

One such operator in Sg Sarang Buaya, Mahmood Maarof, said visitors would be charged RM15 per day without meal and RM30 with three meals.

He said the visitors could also enjoy free fruits from his orchard , but those who wanted to take the fruits home would have to pay.

He said since the village and others in Sg Balang had traditional music and dance groups, visitors would have the opportunity to enjoy them on certain days.

"We also have villagers making beautiful handicrafts such as tops, kompang, flower pots and items made from local woods, including coconut tree trunk.

"We plan to set up a centralised showroom where visitors, including local tourists, can buy them," he added.