DBKL scraps RM300m building to save money

© The Edge Communications Sdn Mhd

KUALA LUMPUR (June 6): The redevelopment of the new Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) administrative building in Jalan Raja Laut is one of the projects cancelled by mayor Tan Sri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz in an effort to cut costs.

The building would have cost city hall RM300 million.

In a report by The Star daily, KL mayor said the original plan was to sell DBKL Tower 3 Bandar Wawasan in Jalan Raja Abdullah and develop a new building dubbed Menara DBKL 3 in Jalan Raja Laut.

It was meant to locate all departments in a building “to boost efficiency and productivity”.

Three council home projects (Project Satu Mas, Wirajaya Wangsa Maju and UOA Bukit Kerin­chi) with a total value of RM359 million were also chopped.

The RM125 million redevelopment of Pasar Pudu; a land acquisition deal (including building) at Lot 12, Seksyen 59, Jalan Tangsi (Wisma Ekran) for RM24 million; an Itis (Integrated Transformation System)/LED lighting system project in neighbourhoods costing RM119 million; a road upgrading project in Jalan Segambut costing RM77mil (to connect the KTM bridge heading towards Mont Kiara) and DBKL Sports Club redevelopment project were also cancelled.

“These (projects) are not crucial and can wait,” Mohd Amin told The Star.

“We want to spend money wisely. Some of the projects were not necessary, but there were so many people lobbying for them.

“I was not able to say ‘no’ (before),” revealed Mohd Amin. In total, nine DBKL projects were cancelled.