Preparations for the 2010 National Christmas Open House to be held on Sunday at the Portuguese Village in Ujung Pasir, Malacca are going on smoothly.

Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam said everything was going as planned and the final rehearsal for the celebration would be held this Sunday.

“We expect over 10,000 guests at the event,” he told reporters after chairing the celebration coordination meeting at the village today.

The celebration is scheduled to be officiated by Malacca Yang Dipertua Negeri Mohd Khalil Yaakob and will also be attended by Information Communication and Culture Minister, Dr Rais Yatim.

Mohd Ali said the event would start at 8.30pm with Khalil and other dignitaries visiting houses in the village before heading to the main stage for the launching at 9pm.

“We will also create a new record in the Malaysia Book of Records for the Largest Spontaneous Dance, which is the Joget Ria 1Malaysia, which we initially aimed for 2,000 people but we want all the 10,000-odd visitors to join in,” he said.

He said 55 Miss Tourism International contestants from around the world would also be modelling Malaysian batik designs at the celebration.

The event, expected to end at 10.55pm, will see Khalil and other dignitaries make their way to a coffeeshop in the village to mingle with visitors before heading home.

This is the second National Christmas Open House held at the same venue, the previous one in 2008, and the third time in Malacca whereby the first was held in 2002 at the Hang Tuah Mall.

- Bernama