Ministry prefers garden projects than commercial development, says Nong Chik

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry prefers to focus its efforts to develop gardens than commercial centres, its minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said.

"We also prefer developers to come to us with plans to establish gardens or parks for the benefit of the people, rather than commercial development plans," he told reporters after opening the Datuk Keramat Lake Garden here on Feb 18.

He said the ministry was also planning to upgrade the Perdana Lake Garden into a botanical garden for educational purpose and to make the city a Sustainable Tropical Garden City in order to attract more tourists.

The 3.4ha Datuk Keramat Lake Garden with 0.7ha of man-made lake is the second lake garden upgraded by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall after the Ampang Hilir Lake Garden last year.

City Mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail said the upgrading work on the Datuk Keramat Lake Garden cost about RM6.3 million and was done to cater to the needs of local residents.

"We did all these for the benefit of city dwellers. So, let's take a good care of our gardens so that we can reduce the maintenance cost and benefit from these facilities," he added. -- Bernama