Bandar Malaysia on track

PUTRAJAYA: The proposed Bandar Malaysia development recently signed the agreements for development on eight relocation sites for the current military and police installations in the old Sungai Besi air base. 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) will develop the new sites for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Royal Artillery Regiment (31RAD) and the air wing of the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP).

1MDB is a strategic development company wholly-owned by the Malaysian government helping to transform Malaysia into a thriving economy. It is the master developer of Bandar Malaysia.

Five sites will be allocated for the relocation of RMAF operations at Pangkalan Udara Kuala Lumpur in Subang, Selangor; Kuantan, Pahang; Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan; Butterworth, Penang and Gong Kedak, Terengganu; two for RMP in Subang and Ipoh, Perak and one for 31RAD in Kajang, Selangor. Upon completion of works at the bases within the next five years, the relocation of the military and police installations will be in phases.

The Butterworth and Gong Kedak agreements for RMAF were signed in December 2011 while the agreement for RMP's Ipoh site was signed last month in January.

The rest of the agreements for development were signed today, Feb 17, by Defence Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Sri Dr. Haji Ismail Haji Ahmad, Home Ministry Deputy Secretary-General (Management) Datuk Wahab Mohd Yasin and 1MDB CEO Shahrol Halmi.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department at the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister's Department here. Present was 1MDB Chairman Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin and EPU Director-General Datuk Dr. Rahamat Bivi Yusoff.

Datuk Azmar Talib, 1MDB Real Estate Sdn Bhd Deputy CEO (Operations) thanked the the respective government agencies for their cooperation to ensure that the relocation will be on schedule: “Today's signing signals the beginning of work for the new sites. In line with our priority to minimise disruptions to the security operations of the country, current operations will move out only after the new sites are ready."

In June 2011, 1MDB signed the Sale and Purchase agreement (S&P) with Federal Land Commissions for the transfer of 495-acres of Sungai Besi airport land to 1MDB; the S&P agreement with the Menteri Besar Incorporated of Negeri Sembilan for the purchase of 750-acres in Sendayan; and a master relocation agreement with Defence Ministry and Home Ministry to develop the eight replacement sites.

As a distinctive character of Greater Kuala Lumpur, Bandar Malaysia aims to promote livability with a mixed development filled with livable space for work and life offering green spaces and world-class higher learning institutions.

In 1956, the Sungai Besi air base served as the first international airport opening the corridor for aviation, travel, tourism and hospitality industries and happens to be the birthplace of the RMAF from where it grew to become an ultra modern air force.