Gazetting 50 acres in Bandar Malaysia as Malay reserve land reflects political courage, wisdom — PM

PUTRAJAYA (June 29): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pictured) said the decision to gazette 50 acres (20.23 hectares) of land in Bandar Malaysia as Malay reserve land is a significant step to safeguard Bumiputera interests, requiring both political courage and careful consensus-building.

He said the 480-acre Bandar Malaysia site was taken back by the government after the project failed due to alleged abuses under the previous administration, and is now being managed by Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS).

“The 50 acres is equivalent to 5,000 acres in Kedah in terms of value. It is not small in value, and I know this will be controversial if not handled properly.

“I emphasise that this is a decision to defend Bumiputera interests, which is very important and critical to me. It takes a lot of political courage and wisdom in engaging with all sectors,” he said at the opening of the National Convention of the Syariah Legal Profession 2026 here on Saturday.

The prime minister stressed that the decision does not involve taking land from any community, as the area is already government-owned.

Anwar said the government has briefed leaders from various communities on the rationale behind the move to prevent misunderstandings and ensure smooth implementation.

On June 27 last year, the Finance Ministry said further studies were being conducted on the development strategy for the 50-acre Malay reserve land within Bandar Malaysia to ensure alignment with the government’s aspiration of turning the development into an international business hub.

The ministry said several key principles are being considered, including clustered settlement areas near relevant facilities such as mosques, integrated development aligned with inclusivity under Malaysia Madani, and potential cultural tourism attractions showcasing Malay heritage.

The project, located at the former Kuala Lumpur Air Base in Sungai Besi, is expected to have a gross development value of RM140 billion.

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