About Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah (MBMB)

The history of the Historic Melaka City Council (MBMB) was born alongside the history of Melaka itself. Despite the city’s ups and downs, the municipal administration of Melaka has continued to exist. In 1824, the municipality was known as “The Town and The Fort of Malacca”, administered by the “Committee of Assessors” under the British government.

In 1848, the East India Act XIX emphasized the establishment of a Municipal Committee to replace the Committee of Assessors. This Act provided for five Council Members, led by a Resident Councillor, who was recognized as the Municipal Commissioner.

The East India Act XXVII of 1856 gave Municipal Commissioners the authority to act as trustees, with the power to sue and be sued. On 1 January 1887, the Straits Settlements Municipal Ordinance approved a municipal boundary of 1.4 square miles, which was expanded to 4.2 square miles in 1930 under the 1913 Act 133.

On 1 January 1977, under the Local Government Act 171 (1976), the Melaka Municipality was merged into the Historic Melaka Municipal Council (MPMBB), with an administrative area of 114.7 square miles (303 sq. km).

MPMBB played a central role in developing Melaka into a dynamic, progressive, and beautiful city. Its development paralleled that of the state of Melaka, with a strong focus on agriculture, industry, and more recently, tourism.

Infrastructure development was highly significant, comparable to Malaysia’s most advanced states, which accelerated the inflow of investors and created employment opportunities for the local population.

On 15 April 2003, the Historic Melaka Municipal Council (MPMBB) was upgraded to the Historic Melaka City Council (MBMB). With this recognition, MBMB further enhanced the quality of its services to the people of Melaka and to visitors alike.

On 1 January 2010, another local authority, the Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council (MPHTJ), was established, covering 57.66 sq. km of the former MBMB area. Meanwhile, MBMB’s administrative area expanded by an additional 30.86 sq. km, making its total size 270.39 sq. km.