Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched an urban rainforest park project yesterday (Sunday, 4th September) with aims of making it as iconic as New York’s Central Park.
The 26.7 hectare project will transform the National Monument, otherwise known as Tugu Negara, area into a city rainforest with an expected 6,000 trees called Taman Tugu.
Najib revealed that the government aspires to turn Kuala Lumpur into more than a centre of economic progress and into a “liveable” city that is “world-class”.
During the launch, he said, “That’s why London’s Hyde Park is (synonymous) with London; Central Park is (synonymous) with New York; so I want one day Taman Tugu to be synonymous with Kuala Lumpur bearing the status of a global city.” adding that relevant parties involved in the construction are required to preserve its historical values, including Tugu Negara.
The project’s details aren’t cast in stone yet, but safer and better connectivity for pedestrians that will link the KL Sentral transport hub to Taman Tugu through walkways cutting through a nearby park and museum are being planned.
Khazanah Nasional Berhad will spearhead the project as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) with the cooperation of several ministries and private companies.
According to Khazanah Nasional managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, Taman Tugu will present “various world-class facilities in several zones, especially revolving around the environment, recreation and learning including a rainforest information centre”.
City dwellers can expect a camping site, canopy walks and zip lines, water games area, jogging and cycling tracks, gazebos and observation decks, and several food and beverages shops. The park would also have a library, auditorium, gallery and halls that could be used for meetings and certain events.
The project will cost RM650 million and its first phase is targeted for completion in mid-2018. Other development partners include the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and the Malaysian Nature Society.
Taman Tugu will be fully completed in 2020.
For more information or to give your feedback on the project, hit up their website.
