MELBOURNE: For years, Malaysian students here used to call Dewan Malaysia (Malaysia Hall) in the upmarket suburb of Windsor "Rumah Hantu" (Ghost House) or "Sarang Hantu" (Ghost Haunt), but now, after a A$270,000 (RM610,000) upgrade, it is referred to as "Wajah Baru" (New Look).

The amazing transformation of Dewan Malaysia from a dark and soulless place into a bright, clean and welcoming accommodation centre has delighted the 30 Malaysian students who call it home when studying here.

Like other Malaysia halls around the world, the one here was established in June 1987 to look after the interests and welfare of Malaysian students, specially those sponsored by the Public Service Department.

Melbourne's Dewan Malaysia is an imposing two-storey building on prime land with 25 good-size furnished bedrooms, a huge hall and dining room, a spacious kitchen and even a large wine cellar, now used for storage.

Dewan Malaysia is managed by Ahmad Fuad Mansor on behalf of the Malaysian Students Department, Australia.

He is assisted by the "house secretary", Zaharah Abu Bakar, a tutor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, who is now a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne.

The centre is on a large block with space for about 10 cars and a big garden, which, unlike the interior of the building, is in a shocking condition, soon to be landscaped to complement the surrounding properties It is close to world-class sporting facilities, Albert Park Lake, the Grand Prix circuit, shops, restaurants, takeaway food outlets, hospitals, schools, office, public transport and the popular St Kilda beach.

Cooking and cleaning up are shared by the students who take delight in trying to impress their peers with their culinary skills.

Students pay between A$120 and A$180 a month or at a casual rate of about A$4 to $6 a day, making it arguably about the cheapest accommodation in a developed country.

Visiting parents are welcome to stay at Dewan Malaysia if a room is available.  But it is stressed that there is no room service and no towels and toiletries provided.

The guestroom is maintained by students as a contribution to the centre.  The three-month upgrade and refurbishing of the centre was initiated by the Sydney-based director of the Malaysian Student Department in Australia, the energetic Abdul Rahman Salim, and supervised by Fuad in Melbourne.

Rahman, a former headmaster of Penang Free School, told Bernama that he was shocked at the poor condition of Dewan Malaysia when he arrived here a couple of years ago.

He said that with the backing of the Director of the Department of Higher Education Department, Professor Dr Hassan Said, the Malaysian government provided the money to modernise the centre.

The Malaysia Hall Club has played an active role in welcoming new students and has organised a variety of activities and social events for Malaysian students in the State of Victoria.

Its next major event will be the "Majlis Wajah Baru Dewan Malaysia", Melbourne in May.  "We are inviting former students who had stayed at Dewan Malaysia to attend and contribute to the occasion," Zaharah said.

"We are looking for photographs of students and other mementoes of their stay in Melbourne.  "We would like to highlight the achievements and contributions of this centre towards the wellbeing of students who had called this their home over the past five years," she said.

Zaharah can be contacted at 4K High Street, Windsor, Melbourne, Australia 3181 or at zahkay@hotmail.com or myhallmelb@msdaustralia.com.