Published: Sunday February 15, 2009 MYT 4:18:00 PM
Updated: Sunday February 15, 2009 MYT 6:17:32 PM
RM500mil Kota Kinabalu City takes off
By MUGUNTAN VANAR
KOTA KINABALU: The controversial RM500mil Kota Kinabalu City Waterfront project took off with Mayor Datuk Iliyas Brahim assuring that no reclamation would be involved.
“Despite the limited space of the project site, there will be no reclamation. I repeat, no reclamation work will be involved in this project,” he said.
Speaking at the brief ground-breaking ceremony on Sunday, Iliyas said all relevant authorities had given the green light for the project.
The project had created a storm of protest among the people here and owners of apartments adjacent to the seafront project.
“Detailed studies and planning as well as its impact on the environment have been taken into account,” he said.
The project is a joint venture project between DBKK Holdings Sdn Bhd and Sunsea Development Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Waterfront Urban Development Sdn Bhd.
The mixed development project on a 1.24ha strip of sea front land in the city centre will feature one of the longest city waterfront boardwalk in Asia.
It will also include four level retail mall, residential designer suits, five star hotel.
The state government had initially announced that it would take another look at the project following public criticism of the possibility of reclamation taking place.
Owners of neighbouring condominium units had also complained that the project would block their view of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park islands and the South China Sea.
Iliyas said he hoped the project would put Kota Kinabalu among the ranks of world class cities with seafronts like Darling Harbour (Australia), Cape Town Waterfront (South Africa), Victoria Harbour (Hong Kong), Canary Wharf (London) and Clark Quay Riverside (Singapore).
Iliyas assured that eco-friendly materials would be used and hoped public would give their full support for the project that was a catalyst for modernisation and development of Sabah.
Iliyas said that the project was also part of the Sabah Development Corridor objective of turning Kota Kinabalu into an international class tourism destination.
Among those present at the ground breaking were Waterfront Urban Development Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Rashid and the company’s managing director Geoffrey Lee.
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