A general view of the Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur. — file pic
KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — The Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) may soon be the new Parliament House under a plan by the Najib administration to use the under-utilised building.
The proposal came into light following opposition from within the Cabinet over a much-criticised proposal to build a brand-new Parliament building in Putrajaya for an estimated RM800 million, to replace the current legislative complex in Kuala Lumpur.
“This is quite a complex situation... most Cabinet members did not agree (to RM800 million being used to build a new Parliament house).
Nazri said a move
“PICC is being considered as a permanent Parliament building because, well, it is being under-utilised,” Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview.
Nazri disclosed that some RM150 million would be used to repair the existing Parliament building, which had already undergone a RM100 million renovation five years ago.
“It would cost RM150 million to fix the current Parliament building. When the repair works are underway, we would have to leave this building, and Parliament would have to sit somewhere else. At least RM50 million would be needed to renovate a temporary building,” said Nazri.
The law minister also claimed that a new Parliament venue was desperately needed in the event of “future expansions” of seats in the Dewan Rakyat, which now has 222 members. Another 70 sit in the Dewan Negara, or Upper House.
“We have got to have a hard look at what we want. From wasting money on something temporary, why don’t we put it into something permanent?” he asked.
The Padang Rengas MP said the Cabinet was currently waiting for the Public Works Department (PWD) to complete its study on the feasibility of transforming PICC into a Parliament House.
“We are waiting for the Public Works Department to come back with a full report, before taking further action.
“PICC is an ideal place because it is situated in Putrajaya, near the Executive and the Judiciary. It is good because we can save RM800 million and at the same time make full use of that white elephant,” said Nazri in reference to the PICC which was completed in 2003 at the cost of RM600 million.
But the minister did not specify whether the government would be totally abandoning the idea of constructing a new Parliament building, which he announced last week when replying to questions in the Dewan Rakyat.
“My personal opinion is that we should take over PICC and renovate it. It may cost more than RM50 million, but at least it is less than RM800 million. That would make a lot of sense.
“RM800 million is out of the question,” said Nazri, echoing the outrage expressed by most Malaysians.
He reiterated that the current Parliament House would be refurbished and turned into a “heritage building.”
The minister’s response comes amid stinging criticisms from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as well as Barisan Nasional (BN) members over moving the federal lawmaking body to the national administrative capital.
Nazri was later reported to have made a U-turn on the statement and claimed the Cabinet had yet to make any decision on Parliament’s future.
The current Parliament House comprises two parts: A three-storey main building and a 17-storey tower.
The main building hosts the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara while ministers’ offices are located in the tower.
The country’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman suggested the construction of Parliament House in December 1959.
Construction began in September 1962 and the opening of the RM18 million Parliament building was officiated by Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail, the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong, on Nov 21, 1963. The 35-acre site also has a deer park.
A statue of Tunku Abdul Rahman was erected near the Parliament square. No other Malaysian prime minister has been honoured with a statue since due to a rising Islamic consciousness on the prohibition on graven images.
Nazri disclosed that some RM150 million would be used to repair the existing Parliament building, which had already undergone a RM100 million renovation five years ago.
“It would cost RM150 million to fix the current Parliament building. When the repair works are underway, we would have to leave this building, and Parliament would have to sit somewhere else. At least RM50 million would be needed to renovate a temporary building,” said Nazri.
The law minister also claimed that a new Parliament venue was desperately needed in the event of “future expansions” of seats in the Dewan Rakyat, which now has 222 members. Another 70 sit in the Dewan Negara, or Upper House.
“We have got to have a hard look at what we want. From wasting money on something temporary, why don’t we put it into something permanent?” he asked.
The Padang Rengas MP said the Cabinet was currently waiting for the Public Works Department (PWD) to complete its study on the feasibility of transforming PICC into a Parliament House.
“We are waiting for the Public Works Department to come back with a full report, before taking further action.
“PICC is an ideal place because it is situated in Putrajaya, near the Executive and the Judiciary. It is good because we can save RM800 million and at the same time make full use of that white elephant,” said Nazri in reference to the PICC which was completed in 2003 at the cost of RM600 million.
But the minister did not specify whether the government would be totally abandoning the idea of constructing a new Parliament building, which he announced last week when replying to questions in the Dewan Rakyat.
“My personal opinion is that we should take over PICC and renovate it. It may cost more than RM50 million, but at least it is less than RM800 million. That would make a lot of sense.
“RM800 million is out of the question,” said Nazri, echoing the outrage expressed by most Malaysians.
He reiterated that the current Parliament House would be refurbished and turned into a “heritage building.”
The minister’s response comes amid stinging criticisms from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as well as Barisan Nasional (BN) members over moving the federal lawmaking body to the national administrative capital.
Nazri was later reported to have made a U-turn on the statement and claimed the Cabinet had yet to make any decision on Parliament’s future.
The current Parliament House comprises two parts: A three-storey main building and a 17-storey tower.
The main building hosts the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara while ministers’ offices are located in the tower.
The country’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman suggested the construction of Parliament House in December 1959.
Construction began in September 1962 and the opening of the RM18 million Parliament building was officiated by Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail, the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong, on Nov 21, 1963. The 35-acre site also has a deer park.
A statue of Tunku Abdul Rahman was erected near the Parliament square. No other Malaysian prime minister has been honoured with a statue since due to a rising Islamic consciousness on the prohibition on graven images.
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