New National Palace will be ready to use

(picture from The Star)

The majestic view of the new National Palace located at Jalan Duta

Malaysian Works Minister, Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor stated the construction of the new National Palace has completed and will be ready to use in end of August, without any additional cost. The construction of the RM800mil Palace was already completed, but it was two months behind schedule as there was some interior design work that needed to be done according to royal specifications. Despite the delay, Shaziman stressed that the cost of the new palace would remain the same.

The New National Palace span an area of 100,000sqm comprise the Palace building, mini army camp, parking area, security office and housing for the palace staff and police. The cost for the elevated access flyover from Jalan Duta was tagged at RM106mil with another RM32.5mil allocated to upgrade Jalan Changkat Semantan, the second access road to the palace.

The construction of the new National Palace was the first Palace built by the Federal Government to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (The Supreme Ruler) of Malaysia. The project has caused major debate in the Parliament when the cost increased from RM400mil to RM800mil.