MALACCA: Singapore President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, who is on a three-day visit to Malaysia, visited the Historical City yesterday.

He and his wife, Mary Chee, arrived at 11am and were greeted by Chief Minister Datuk Idris Haron and Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Khalil Yaakob at Istana Melaka in Bukit Beruang, here, yesterday.

Idris' wife, Datin Fadilah Abdullah, greeted the president's wife with a bouquet of flowers.

Present was Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar.

Idris introduced the state executive council members and other dignitaries before holding closed-door discussions with the president for about an hour.

Idris said Tan revealed the republic's interest in investing in Malacca's tourism industry.

"We have received three million Singaporean tourists to the state and we believe this is the main factor as to why Singaporeans are keen to invest here."

Tan was taken on a tour of several historical sites in Bandar Hilir, including St Paul's Hill, the A'Famosa's famous Porta de Santiago, the Malacca sultanate palace and the Baba Nyonya museum in Jonker Walk.

He also visited the Tun Tan Cheng Lock's Centre Department of Architecture School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore here.

Tan boarded a tour bus in Jonker Walk at 4.30pm before leaving the state at 6.15pm.