A billion ringgit palace for Agong

New Istana Negara to cost RM797m

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:45

KUALA LUMPUR: A massive new palace being built for Malaysia's king is expected to be completed next June, at a total cost of RM797 million, Parliament was told today.

The Istana Negara, or national palace, which is taking shape on a hilltop in a Kuala Lumpur suburb is an enormous complex of dome-topped buildings linked to the city's highways with special access roads.

The palace sprawls over a 100,000 square metre (one million square foot) site which was annexed in the 1990s in what has since become a prime residential area.

Works Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor said the palace is expected to be completed on June 30 next year.

The figure has risen from an earlier allocation of RM650 million, he said in a written reply yesterday after a query from the opposition.

"The additional allocation is needed to fulfil costs which were not included in the earlier contract, among them being the security system, utility payments and also interior decoration," he said.

The historic project also entails the construction of a highway flyover and an access road, at a cost of an extra RM138.5 million.

Malaysia's opposition has criticised the government's decision to award the development contract without a tender, and said the company which will handle the construction is controlled by a senior figure in the ruling party.

The Star daily said the government had explained that there was no open tender because the special project was subject to security considerations.

Malaysia has a unique rotating monarchy shared among nine sultans, who are the royal rulers and guardians of Islam in their respective states. They each take turns to rule for five years as the nation's king.

The current monarch, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin from Terengganu, was sworn in in 2006 at the age of 45, becoming Malaysia's second-youngest king ever.

His current palace is a colonial mansion built in the 1920s which was originally the home of a self-made ethnic-Chinese tycoon, and was later bought by the government.

- AFP

Parliament rejected special motion on Orang Asli

Harakahdaily

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19:  Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has refused to allow a motion on granting Bumiputera status to Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia, drawing criticism from Pakatan Rakyat members of parliament. ORIGINAL PEOPLE BUT NOT SONS OF THE SOIL ... The group from Orang Asli at the parliament today Earlier, a 27-member delegation from the Orang Asli community was denied entry to the Parliament despite being guests of Telok Kemang member of parliament Kamarul Baharin Abbas. Led by Simpan Suda, deputy chairman of the Orang Asli Land Action Front, they were later allowed in after the police were convinced they were not protestors. The group wanted to follow parliamentary proceedings on an urgent motion by Kamarul over their demand to be recognised as Bumiputera under Article 153 and 160 of the Federal Constitution. The Federal Constitution currently recognises only Malays and natives in Sabah and Sarawak as Bumiputera. Pandikar however dismissed the motion, saying the matter had already been raised during the last debate. A disappointed Simpan said issues revolving around the Orang Asli people should have ended after 53 years of independence. “If the issues regarding the natives in Sabah and Sarawak can be solved in the Constitution, why is the government not ready to solve the demands of the Orang Asli from the peninsula,” he asked. Simpan said following the Speaker's rejection, his group would offer help to the PAS candidate in the upcoming Galas by-election. PAS's Kuala Kerai MP Dr Hatta Ramli said the speaker should have allowed the motion to be debated. “This shows the true colour of the ruling party even though they (Orang Asli) had travelled from far (to be at the parliament),” said Hatta, adding that the group's demand was reasonable as Orang Asli were natives in the country. “To recognise the native people as Bumiputera is only natural,” Hatta added. Meanwhile, Tumpat MP Kamaruddin Jaafaar congratulated Kamarul for his commitment to represent Pakatan Rakyat in defending Orang Asli rights.