Ministry to buy Menara PjH for RM167 mil

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry will have its own building following the purchase of Menara PjH from Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd, worth RM167 million.

The agreement to buy the building was signed between the ministry's secretary-general, Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib and Putrajaya Holdings' chief executive officer, Datuk Azlan Abdul Karim, here on May 27.

Its minister, Datuk Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, said efforts to buy the building started three years ago.

"Since then, a series of consultations were held between the ministry, the Economic Planning Unit and Putrajaya Holdings until the agreement was finalised earlier this month," he said after witnessing the signing of the agreement.

The purchase is in accordance with the terms and conditions in the Concession Agreement for Government Buildings in Putrajaya administrative centre where the government would make the payments for 25 years.

The building has two blocks. Block 1 houses the corporate headquarters of Putrajaya Holdings and Block 2 has being rented out to various parties, including to the ministry since 2005.

The building will provide a more comfortable office space to accommodate the needs of the ministry's staff following the increase and expansion of the scope of functions including the implementation of programmes to end urban poverty in the country. -- Bernama