By Ida Lim
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 31, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 ― The controversial Warisan Merdeka tower next to Stadium Merdeka here will have 118 floors, the government said today, sparking renewed objections from the local MP who said the skyscraper would only contribute to a property glut.
Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun told reporters today that Kuala Lumpur City Hall should reject the development, after the Federal Territories Ministry told Parliament of the plans for the skyscraper that had originally been for 100 storeys.
“The supply of office space in Kuala Lumpur has exceeded demand without Warisan Tower and Tun Razak Exchange. It’s not reasonable to give new approval for new development of office space,” Fong said.
He also cited the unsatisfactory traffic conditions in the Jalan Hang Jebat area where the mega tower is planned to be built, as a reason why DBKL should reject the application.
The Warisan Merdeka project was announced in 2010 by the government, and immediately sparked public outcry over the need for another skyscraper in the city.
A poll by Merdeka Center in 2010 showed the majority of voters in peninsular Malaysia were against the proposed construction of the mega project
The survey found that 65 per cent of those polled disagreed with the construction of what would be the tallest building in the country when completed.
More than 200,000 Malaysians had registered their protest on Facebook in a campaign launched soon after the project was announced.
Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also warned of a property glut that would result from the construction of the proposed tower.
Government investment arm Pemodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) later 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.
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.
It is not justifiable for leaders to build monuments to remind people of their contribution to the country.
The scums have gone stark raving mad.
They are building a monument to celebrate corruption, scams and scandals while even the health services are short of funds!
There should be a way to stop all this madness!!!!
Although we are only a small country, we yearn for everything that is big and expensive. Years ago we constructed the Petronas Twin Towers, then the tallest skyscrapers in the world ( according to Dr. M, we still hold the record because we have two skyscrapers as opposed to other skyscrapers which may be taller but consist of just a single structure). Then we constructed the huge Sepang Airport and later the largest court complex in the world. Hopefully Warisan Merdeka tower doesn’t become the tallest white elephant in the country.
Small leaders in need of giant monument to satisfy the sense of greatness, where great leaders don’t.
They can keep planning huge buildings for huge commissions as much as they like.
They are out to bankrupt the country…with no regrets….as long as billions are available for the take so call “legally”.
Better roads….more flyovers to ease traffic jams…not important.
Imagine how much good…all the billions will do for Malaysians.
Najib’s ” 1Malaysia” “People First. Performance Now” are nonsense.
How many Malaysians need super tall buildings??
If Najib is sincere about “People First”….he should put out the project for Malaysians to give their views.
He knows…all will reject it.
He is telling all Malaysians…Umno B knows best and we are useless and not so smart.
That’s why Mahathir’s son and Najib’s brothers are billionaires….and these two rouges decorated themselves with false titles.
How thick their skins can be?
Next plan….how to tax more and fill up empty cans.
Cut it down to 30 storey and use the money saved to complete plaza rakyat and several other stalled projects in the city centre.
MonsterO’mamak’s greatest success is the creation of a band of super greedy and power crazy umnoputras. 30 storey project is not enough to satisfy anyone of them.
JJ1B
RR1C!
There was talk about abolishing the death penalty.
However, it should be retained so that when PR takes over Putrajaya, it can be used against those who commit heinous financial crimes such as these.
118 storeys high ? Bigger and taller than Mahathir’s Twin Erect Jagongs?
So that explains why Mahathir is infuriated, losing sleep and going on a warpath.
Next, Najib will want to rename the building after himself, his father or even his agenda like ‘Warisan Naj1b’, ‘Warisan Tun Razak’, ‘Warisan Transformasi’, ‘Warisan Alphabet’, ‘Warisan Rosmah’.
118 storeys high ?
Might as well go for it and build the world’s tallest and largest building, taller and larger than the Burj Khalifa.
And name it ‘Naj1b’s Staircase to Heaven’.
This is the first project PR must suspend the moment they come to power at Putrajaya…
Hope they remember traffic problems ! How? Build multi storeys, multi- lanes roads, interchanges??
Be sensible, 35 to 45 storeys, more practical, Msia don’t hv the fire rescue means if there is a fire
Mediocre “leader” wants to be remembered, indeed Yat Yat Fart!