Thursday November 1, 2012

More floors for Merdeka Tower

At the Dewan Rakyat Yesterday
By MARTIN CARVALHO, YUEN MEIKENG and RAHIMY RAHIM

THE Warisan Merdeka Tower, which is to be constructed next to Merdeka Stadium, will be 118 storeys high instead of the initially planned 100 storeys, said the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry.

In a written reply to Fong Kui Lun (DAP – Bukit Bintang), Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said the building would have 118 storeys.

Fong had asked Raja Nong Chik to state the conditions imposed on Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) in order for it to be granted a development order for the tower in Jalan Hang Jebat, Kuala Lumpur.

Raja Nong Chik said one of the conditions was for the “design of the antenna on top of the proposed 118-storey building to be improved so this would be more attractive and suit the tower’s facade”.

“City Hall has yet to issue a development order for the construction of the tower as applied by the developer PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd,” he said.

Raja Nong Chik said a City Hall meeting on May 17, chaired by himself, had decided that the application for the development order would be approved if PNB complied with the six conditions.

Other conditions were for PNB to provide 100% of the parking lots needed and photo spots for the public to take pictures, as well as technical requirements set by Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

Raja Nong Chik said PNB had yet to fulfil one more condition, which was to apply to the Federal Territory Land and Minerals Department to resolve land takeover matters.

“City Hall will only issue the order once the PNB has met all conditions,” he said.

Later, at the Parliament lobby, Fong said he was shocked that the proposed building was to be 118 storeys high.

“I urge City Hall not to approve the application as there is more than enough office space in Kuala Lumpur,” he said, adding that traffic in the area was also not suitable for such a huge development.

Plans to build a 100-storey tower was announced during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s Budget 2011 speech.

The project, built at a budget of RM5bil, is expected to be completed in 2015.

News

Thursday November 1, 2012

More floors for Merdeka Tower

At the Dewan Rakyat YesterdayBy MARTIN CARVALHO, YUEN MEIKENG and RAHIMY RAHIM

At the Dewan Rakyat Yesterday
By MARTIN CARVALHO, YUEN MEIKENG and RAHIMY RAHIM