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- "A Madani nation must always be attentive and close to the people, otherwise Madani is nothing more than a slogan. Therefore, we must think of features that can uplift the culture, civilisation and new technology for the people and the nation as a whole," Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said when officiating the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ipoh Sentral Project.
IPOH (Aug 16): Megaprojects to be implemented in the country must incorporate culture, civilisation and new technology for the benefit of the nation and the people, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. (pictured)
Anwar said that in the pursuit of development, developers sometimes merely copy ideas from abroad, despite knowing that such concepts do not align with local climate, societal values and culture.
"That is why our new development must take into account these aspects (societal values and culture) as well as the needs of the people. There are grand buildings and megaprojects which bring no real benefit other than impressing people, and we can no longer defend such a concept of development.
"A Madani nation must always be attentive and close to the people, otherwise Madani is nothing more than a slogan. Therefore, we must think of features that can uplift the culture, civilisation and new technology for the people and the nation as a whole," he said when officiating the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ipoh Sentral Project here on Saturday.
Also present were Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
The prime minister said that 'mega complexes' to be developed must take into account current needs and ensure that their benefits are felt by all segments of society.
“Will these megaprojects be able to provide buildings that meet the needs of everyone? If it is housing, then comfortable housing must be provided for those with sufficient means, the middle-income group, and the poor.
“Because in the end, these complexes will require thousands of workers, and these workers should not be pushed away to remote areas, tens of miles from where they work. All of this must be considered,” he said.
He also touched on the tendency of some developers to focus more on luxury developments for the wealthy while neglecting the need for affordable housing.
According to him, in Kuala Lumpur, many mega developments are built as exclusive areas for high-income earners, while public housing projects are relegated to the outskirts and less strategic locations.
“When we want to build public housing, non-governmental organisations and civil society groups object, asking why such housing should be built in already congested areas with traffic jams and inadequate facilities. But when you seize land indiscriminately, that seems to be acceptable?” he said.
At the same time, the prime minister also emphasised that the construction of schools must be part of the comprehensive planning for every mega development project.
Anwar referred to a recent incident in Kuala Lumpur, where he had to firmly rebuke developers and officials for failing to plan adequately for educational needs.
“I had to reprimand them quite sternly because when asked, the developers and officials said there was already a school nearby. But that school had 50 pupils in a class—it was overcrowded.
“Surely for these primary-level pupils from lower-income families, we cannot simply cram them in without any sense of concern or empathy. That is why I rebuked them,” he said.
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