Latest news with #KotaMadani
Malay Mail
05-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Hamzah: Opposition to grill RM4b Kota Madani plan in Parliament, citing fiscal risks and affordability concerns
LARUT, July 5 – The Opposition reportedly plans to raise concerns over the Kota Madani smart city project in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting on July 21, citing potential long-term financial burdens. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the initiative, launched by the government in Putrajaya last month, must be scrutinised to prevent adverse impacts on future generations. 'We will bring this up in Parliament. We don't want today's government decisions to become tomorrow's burden,' he was quoted saying by Utusan Malaysia. Hamzah questioned the necessity of such a large-scale development given the country's current fiscal situation, comparing it to previous government housing projects that did not create long-term debt. 'We shouldn't just roll out a mega project that ends up being unaffordable. Our national debt has already surpassed RM1 trillion,' he said. He argued that building an entire city under current financial constraints risks prioritising short-term interests over national welfare. Hamzah also responded to calls urging him to table an emergency motion in Parliament over the appointment of judges, amid mounting public criticism. He stressed that judicial appointments must reflect fairness and transparency to ensure the integrity of the legal system. 'I don't want there to be a perception that anyone appointed to replace the current Chief Justice is being selected to serve the prime minister's interests,' he added. Last month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched Kota Madani megaproject in Putrajaya, worth RM4 billion and set to be constructed in Presint 19. Occupying 41.28 hectares, the project developed by Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd (PjH) under a public-private partnership model will offer 10,000 high-density vertical residential units to house more than 30,000 residents. The first phase of the project is scheduled to begin this September and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
Free Malaysia Today
03-07-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
No need to halt Kota Madani project, says Zaliha
Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa rejected PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden's call to suspend the Kota Madani project. KUALA LUMPUR : The government has dismissed the call by PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden to suspend the Kota Madani project, saying its development is essential to meet the housing needs of civil servants. Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said that around 17,000 civil servants required housing in Putrajaya, the nation's administrative capital. 'The housing units we plan to build under the project will help address, at least in part, the shortage of government quarters for civil servants,' she said after attending a programme here today. On Tuesday, Afnan urged the government to halt the project, citing growing national debt and the worsening economic situation. Afnan, the Alor Setar MP, also questioned the returns that future generations would inherit, given the debt burden that projects like Kota Madani might leave behind. Zaliha previously said that the Kota Madani project was expected to help civil servants working in the administrative capital save up to RM1,000 a month. Developed by Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd via a public-private partnership, the project is based on the build, lease, maintain and transfer concept and will not involve any government allocations in its initial phase. Once complete, the RM4 billion Kota Madani will offer 10,000 high-density residential quarters for over 30,000 residents, vertical schools, and various public amenities. Putrajaya will assume full ownership of the project after 25 years.
Malay Mail
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Full report on Jalan Masjid India sinkhole that swallowed Indian tourist to reach Cabinet by year-end, says Dr Zaliha
KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — The full report on the sinkhole tragedy at Jalan Masjid India in August last year is expected to be presented to the Cabinet by the end of this year, at the latest. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said she had only recently received the detailed findings and the ministry is currently reviewing the contents before tabling it to the Cabinet. 'I've just received the full report, and my team is now studying various aspects of the incident, particularly the cause of the sinkhole. Once the review is complete, I will present it to the Cabinet, probably before the end of the year,' she told reporters after officiating the Mata Hati Wilayah programme here today. The tragedy involved a woman identified as Vijayaletchumy, a tourist from India, who fell into an eight-metre-deep sinkhole while walking with her family in the Jalan Masjid India area on August 23 en route to a nearby temple. Despite a multi-agency search and rescue operation being launched immediately after the incident, the victim was never found. In a separate development, Dr Zaliha dismissed calls from certain quarters to delay the implementation of the Kota Madani project, asserting that the development is a necessity, particularly for addressing housing shortages among civil servants. 'There are around 17,000 civil servants still waiting for government quarters. The Kota Madani project will provide around 10,000 units, which will go a long way in easing this housing issue. 'We know that 60 per cent of Putrajaya's residents are government employees. So it is crucial that we ensure their comfort. I do not agree with any suggestion to delay the project,' she said. The RM4 billion Kota Madani project will be developed by Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd (PjH) under a public-private partnership model based on Build, Lease, Maintain and Transfer (BLMT), which does not require initial government funding. Kota Madani is set to comprise high-density residential units, designed to accommodate over 30,000 residents, along with vertical schools and a wide range of public facilities. — Bernama
Malay Mail
26-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Explained: The RM4b Kota Madani megaproject set to transform Putrajaya's landscape
KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Imagine a living, thriving pedestrianised smart city roughly the size of 57 football fields equipped with various public amenities and green spaces for 35,000 people in the near future. Finding it difficult to visualise? Fret not, you don't need to look any further since one is currently being developed in the nation's administrative capital of Putrajaya. What is Kota Madani? Kota Madani or Madani City is a RM4 billion megaproject currently undertaken by the Malaysian government and Perbadanan Putrajaya. The 102-acre megaproject will be developed by Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd 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. Key components of the township will include 10,000 units of vertically built government quarters for approximately 35,000 civil servants and their families; financial institutions, eateries, community halls, bazaar sites, offices and commercial lots, all within walkable, self-contained residential precincts. There will also be built-in public amenities such as a police and fire station, a house of worship, healthcare facilities, football fields, parks, schools, and institutions for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), a petrol station and a viewing platform overlooking Putrajaya Lake. Designed to serve as a model township under the government's Madani framework, Kota Madani will integrate smart technologies, green infrastructure, energy-efficient systems, and essential public services into one cohesive urban ecosystem. Where is it located? Kota Madani will be situated along Lebuh Wadi Ehsan and Persiaran Selatan in Presint 19, Putrajaya. It spans about 0.8 per cent of Putrajaya's total land area. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim viewing a scale model of the township during the launch of the Kota Madani groundbreaking ceremony in Putrajaya June 26, 2025. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa When is it going to be liveable? According to the planned timeline, the megaproject's first phase — which comprises 3,000 residential units — is targeted for completion by the end of 2027. The second phase — which includes the remaining 7,000 residential units and other public amenities — is targeted for completion by the end of 2028. The entire project is slated for full completion within seven years or by 2032. Who are the intended dwellers of Kota Madani? Civil servants and government pensioners. Why another megaproject? Kota Madani and its eventual development emerged after the federal government saw the urgency to provide sufficient and affordable, high-quality housing needs to civil servants. Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa was quoted recently as saying there is a current backlog of more than 17,000 unfulfilled applications for government quarters placement. The township's development also demonstrates the government's commitment to support the growth of smart and sustainable cities. How is Kota Madani different from other township developments? With over seven percent of its total area developed as green spaces, Kota Madani is anchored upon the CHASE City vision (clean, healthy, advanced, safe and eco-friendly) — a policy framework designed to transform Malaysia's federal territories into liveable, sustainable cities. A scale model of Kota Madani. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa The township also boasts 2.8km of support and mobility infrastructures, with a heavy emphasis on pedestrian accessibility and walkability. Green and solar roofing, along with vertical gardens, will also be incorporated into the architecture of each block of the government quarters, providing natural insulation and an improved quality of life. Among its unique features is the inclusion of vertical schools — schools with six or more storeys that is typically higher than a traditional horizontal school — built in response to urbanisation and land scarcity. According to the developer, the three vertical schools — two primary and one secondary — with a total of 54 classrooms are designed to provide universal access to roofed pedestrian walkways between residential units and the schools. Conceptualised as a smart city, technologies such as intelligent traffic systems, solar pathways, automated waste disposal system, closed-circuit surveillance system, disaster warning system and community WiFi access will be integrated into its development. Most importantly, the township will be supported by the Local Urban Observatory system which utilises technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data and Internet of Things (IoT) to drive real-time monitoring of facilities, electricity usage, water quality, waste management and security.
South China Morning Post
26-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Malaysia's Anwar relents, exempts imported apples and oranges from fresh tax after backlash
Imported apples and oranges will be exempted from the revised sales and services tax (SST), responding to public concerns, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Thursday. He stated that while it is preferable to consume local fruits such as papayas and bananas, the cabinet decided on Wednesday to exempt these popular fruits. Anwar conveyed this decision to the media after launching the Kota Madani project in Putrajaya's Precinct 19 on Thursday. 'There will not be exemptions for other imported fruits as we have many local fruits to choose from. However, we compromise with apples and oranges as there have been many requests from the public.' 'The sales value threshold will now be increased from half a million to 1 million ringgit (US$236,634). There will be further announcements and clarification on this,' Anwar added. In his speech earlier, he advised that it is better to eat a local banana a day rather than apples.
