Anwar urges civil servants to back Kota Madani plan
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged civil servants to support the Kota Madani housing initiative.
"Recently, we launched Kota Madani and as usual, the issue has become the target of political attacks.
"I truly do not understand why it cannot be supported, especially when it does not place a direct burden on the government.
"This is why I ask civil servants to consider this carefully and support the concept, as many are uncomfortable with it, perhaps representing other contractors or other interests," he said in his speech during the monthly assembly.
Last week Anwar launched the Kota Madani development project in Precinct 19. It is a mega initiative conceptualised as a smart city that is both people-friendly and environmentally conscious.
The RM4 billion project will be developed by Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd (PjH) through a public-private partnership model based on the build, lease, maintain and transfer (BLMT) concept, without involving any government allocation in the initial phase.
Kota Madani will feature 10,000 high-density residential quarters capable of housing more than 30,000 residents, vertical schools, and a variety of public amenities.
Present were both Deputy Prime Ministers, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, as well as Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
The project, however, had received several criticisms, with opposition questioning its branding and long-term value due to its name reflecting the current administration.
Following this, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the name Kota Madani chosen for the development of government quarters in Precinct 19 will be retained as the main identity for modern housing and urban development, in line with the current government's aspirations.
Meanwhile, on the issue of damaged government quarters which have long plagued civil servants, Anwar said such problems have been addressed seriously by the government.
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