MELAKA: The construction of a Christ the Redeemer statue at the Portuguese settlement has been shelved following the decision by community leaders not to court controversy over the matter.

Instead, the volunteers who were instrumental in constructing the statue have agreed to resubmit a proposal to the Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) to turn the present site into a “landscaping project”.

MBMB councillor Joseph Sta Maria said the decision to halt the construction was made to avoid any unnecessary problem.

“I have spoken to project leader Cyril De Mello, and his team has collectively agreed to shelve the construction.

“So, the matter is deemed to have been resolved and we hope no party will exploit it for political mileage,” he said yesterday.

He thanked Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron for rescinding the demolition order of the statue on Nov 6 by MBMB enforcement officers, as the order gave them space to discuss the matter with the volunteers for an amiable decision.

“A unanimous decision was reached to convert the project into a landscaping site without religious connotations,” he said, adding that with the latest development, there would not be any appeal to keep the statue until the end of the Yuletide period.

The statue, which was 70% complete, will now be taken down.

Sta Maria, an activist for the Portuguese community, said Idris and Mayor Datuk Zainal Hussin had also given their views on the matter, which the volunteers accepted with “open hearts”.

On Sunday, Idris ordered the demolition of the statue to be put on hold to give more time for the community to find an amicable solution.

The Portuguese community leaders had wanted to put up the statue as a monument to enliven the Christmas celebrations at its settlement this year.

Based on the iconic Rio de Janeiro landmark, the statue is also in line with the heritage site’s identity as a “beacon of Catholicism” for the last 500 years.

The community initiated the construction through fund-raising activities, and the builders were also from the settlement.

The proposal was submitted to MBMB in September, but construction work was carried out without any approval.