As anti-mega tower support swells, Umno wants it in Kg Baru

Build it in Kg Baru, says Umno

Malaysia Chronicle

Even as supporters on a Facebook page against the building a RM5billion 100-stories skyscraper in the heart of Kuala Lumpur swelled close to 100,000, Umno delegates were urging Prime Minister Najib Razak to rethink the idea and transplant the Warisan Merdeka Tower to Kampung Baru, a Malay enclave in the city, instead.


Their suggestion left Pakatan Rakyat leaders bemused and nearly speechless. Pakatan - led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim - has been campaigning actively against the proposed construction which they say apart being from a waste of already-scarce financial resources was also a traffic and environmental hazard.

"I don't believe it. I wish Umno would not view everything from a racial stance - always us-Malays against you non-Malays. This building project is a bad economic idea and that is all there is to it. If Umno insist and Kampung Baru residents also insist and the PM agrees, they can bulldoze through the change in location. But we urge them to listen to other views first because a project such as this will permanently scar Kampung Baru and instead of adding to Malay heritage it will destroy Malay heritage - by at least RM5 billion," Batu MP Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

About humanity, the earth and its worth

The tower was first announced by Najib during the 2011 Budget presentation in Parliament last Friday. It so angered Malaysians that a group started a Facebook page on Saturday called 1M Malaysians Reject 100-stories Mega Tower.

"This got nothing to do with race, religion, politic or money; this is all about humanity, the earth and its worth. Rejecting this idea only proves that we know what better way to help people with RM5 Billion and that we still care about our land and its condition. We only have 1 earth... and we have too many people that needs help. We are still proud to be Malaysian WITHOUT the mega tower," the initiators of the page wrote.

Meanwhile, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang announced on Twitter that 91,676 fans had signed up by about 4.30pm. "This means getting 100,000 "No Mega Tower" on Facebook in 152 hrs or less than a week," said Lim, referring to a 6pm deadline to capture the 100,000 target.

Symbol of Malay pride

Nonetheless, Titiwangsa Umno chief Johari Ghani believes the controversial tower belongs in the historic Kampung Baru as a symbol of Malay achievement in the capital city.

Delegates at Umno's 61st annual assembly

“Datuk Seri (Najib), may be you don’t like to hear this but you don’t have to make decision today. What’s wrong with building the Warisan Merdeka Tower in the heart of Malay area in Kampung Baru,” Johari had said while debating Najib's policy speech at the Umno annual assembly in Putra World Trade Centre.

The skyscraper is set to be Malaysia's tallest building when completed, exceeding the 88-story Petronas Twin Towers completed in 1998. Economists and experts have warned that Warisan Merdeka was likely to exceed its RM5 billion price tag due to additional infrastructure to smooth out traffic. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has said the final bill is likely to be closer to RM10 billion.