By Leslie Lau
Executive Editor
The Malaysian Insider
December 24, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — The majority of voters in peninsular Malaysia are against the proposed construction of the 100-storey Warisan Merdeka project, a recent survey by the independent Merdeka Center has revealed.
The survey, conducted between November 30 and December 11, found that 65 per cent of those polled disagreed with the construction of what would be the tallest building in the country.
Opposition to the project was uniform across all three major communities.
Sixty per cent of Malay voters polled disagreed with the project while 76 per cent of Chinese opposed its construction. Among Indians, 58 per cent were against it.
The findings suggest that a recent online protest on the Facebook social networking site was a fair reflection of public opposition to the project.
More than 200,000 Malaysians registered their protest on Facebook in a campaign launched soon after the project was announced a few months ago.
Last month, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad warned of a property glut that would result from the construction of the proposed tower.
Dr Mahathir had said that the government should consult the public before proceeding with the project, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when tabling Budget 2011.
Government investment arm Pemodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) had defended the RM5 billion project, saying that it would neither involve public nor depositor funds.
PNB has formed PNB Merdeka Ventures as a wholly-owned unit to undertake the RM5 billion skyscraper project on the land it bought from Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Berhad in 2000.
PNB paid RM310 million or RM220 per sq ft to buy the land, but the market value of the land has since appreciated to RM800 per sq ft today.
The land was initially given to UEM Berhad in exchange for the infrastructure giant building the National Stadium complex in Bukit Jalil for the 1998 Commonwealth Games.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders have also derided the grandiose skyscraper project as wasteful and accused Datuk Seri Najib Razak of trying to “out-Mahathir” Dr Mahathir.
Dr Mahathir had embarked on a massive development spree after he took power in 1981 by building highways, the Penang Bridge, opening new industrial estates and oversaw the construction of the Petronas Twin Towers, the KL International Airport, the Sepang International Circuit, intra-city train lines, several ports, and the new administrative capital Putrajaya and its neighbouring Cyberjaya, which was central to the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project.
Najib appeared to distance himself from the controversial tower when he made it known that the project did not originate from him but PNB.
He nevertheless defended it, saying that it would have a “multiplier effect” on the economy and help drive it forward, in addition to providing an attractive commercial centre for Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera businesses alike.
In his 2011 Budget speech, Najib said the rationale for the Warisan Merdeka tower was similar to that of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, in that it would serve as a symbol of a modern and developed Malaysia.
The 19-acre development area of the mega project — which includes a condominium and a shopping mall — is sited on the car park and land adjacent to Stadium Negara and Stadium Merdeka.
///PNB has formed PNB Merdeka Ventures as a wholly-owned unit to undertake the RM5 billion skyscraper project on the land it bought from Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Berhad in 2000.///
PNB was formed to serve NEP objective of having Malays own 30% equity in corporate sector. The question is whether building the symbol would delay the achieving of the 30% target. PNB might be using its own fund, but PNB did not fall from the sky.
Dr Mahathir had said that the government should consult the public before proceeding with the project, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when tabling Budget 2011.- End of quote
That so?
If he had such sage advice when he was the PM for twenty-two years, this country would have been great!
Really, really great!
He had lost those years for Malaysians!!
No way lah dis mega project will b dropped
MMK had his many mega projects n jiak pah pah
Of cos it’s NR’s turn 2 hv his mega projects n 2 jiak, he n his crionies must jiak mah
Besides dis mega project, got new ones too, like d MRT project under SPAD n SH Albar
D MRT project 2 b completed by 2015 – Really ah? Can ah?
Will b lucky if d RM36.6bil figure does not keep balloning
These r d people who will b truly happy n prosperous, buta gaji/duit
“….Pemodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) had defended the RM5 billion project, saying that it would neither involve public nor depositor funds…”
Mark my words. When (not if) this project fails, you can bet your bottom dollar that these “promoters” of the project will go running to the Govt asking for bailout. And it will be given because the reason cited will be it “…serve as a symbol of a modern and developed Malaysia…” and of course, unspoken, a symbol of bumi pride.
What this shows is that average and poor Malaysian regardless of race is well aware that Najib’s policy leans towards irrelevance to them. The trickle down economics of mega projects are highly dubious and with opportunistic Najib, its very likely. Keep pounding the idea that Najib’s policy will do nothing or worst for all Malaysians in the face of rising inflation and global challenges and it will sink it soon enough.
Big projects to fill Big pockets.
These people are good at spending other peoples money for their own selfish gains.
Look at the many buildings around the country, especially by MARA and other Bumi owned complexes. Are they profitable?
In Bangsar, there is a Kompleks Peniagaan Melayu(Perodua showroom) behind Maybank,
No customers.
In Seremban, the Seremban Plaza along Jalan K.Pilah. No customers.I walked in once, and I was the only window shopper. Nothing to buy.
Right in the middle of Seremban town, a row of old shops were pulled down and a double storey complex were built for Bumi businesses only.
No business.
At night, the road right in front of this complex is closed to traffic, and turn into a hawker center, for Bumis only.
Unless its a monopoly, these people are just unable to compete, on level ground. The easiest way is to get from the government.
100 storey building, can it be fully tenanted? Move another government department there, and the Government pays the rental.
Big projects to fill Big pockets and are wastage.
On flip side of coin, it is one more landmark for KL besides Twin Towers for tourists to visit, spend money and remember KL by. Except for backpackers content with wandering randomly, seeing, shopping and eating their way through what about for other larger groups? KL which is 100+ years old is short on must-see attractions: who wants to see the convergence of two muddy rivers that are now like a monsoon drains?? KL loses out to other cities, not having seas, estuaries, harbour (Sydney, Nice, Bali or even Penang!); or centuries of historical and cultural buildings like Rome, Istanbul, Bejing etc or developed infrastructure like Tokyo, S’pore, New York or London.
Foreigners visiting KL remember the place more by modern monuments (since we don’t have grand historical landmarks like other places) like Twin Towers – not museum, Istana, or Batu Caves etc.
Tourists want 2 visit n C d place where a Mongolian beauty was c4ed
Also d building where some1 flew down n died
The DPM already said the project must proceed even with objection from rakyat. Kroni diutamakan, rakyat dibelakangkan. He said government will bankrupt if give pay rise to civil servant. Why he never say the same thing about this tower?
Better to allocate some money to complete Plaza Rakyat.
I went to Gangzhou early this year to experience the 320 kmph train. Other visitors would certainly come to see a tallest building in KL built entirely by foreigners. But that would never pass the cost benefit analysis.
After robbing us of judicial independence, The Good Doctor at least gave us the once-tallest towers. Don’t insult his greatest achievement by building a tower taller than his towers. Size does not matter.