Putrajaya ended the year with leadership change and long-term planning to shape the next chapter for Malaysia’s administrative capital.
Putrajaya Corporation (PPj) welcomed Datuk Mohd Sakeri Abdul Kadir as its new president, for a two-year term, on Nov 15.
He succeeded Datuk Fadlun Mak Ujud, who had led PPj since June 2022 until his appointment as Kuala Lumpur mayor.
Mohd Sakeri said his immediate priorities were improving cleanliness, strengthening on-ground presence of officers and ensuring maintenance of public facilities and infrastructure in Putrajaya were undertaken on schedule.
The focus, he said, was ensuring public assets such as roads, drains, landscaping, recreational facilities and buildings remained functional and properly maintained, particularly in high-use areas.
Listening to the people
PPj is coordinating the Putrajaya Structure Plan Review 2050 (RSP50) to chart the area’s long-term development.
On Nov 13, then minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the study’s 16 key findings covered physical planning, economic development, transport, infrastructure, the environment and urban governance.
Dr Zaliha had said that proposals under RSP50 included the establishment of a Special Tourism Investment Zone to attract higher-quality tourism investment and diversify Putrajaya’s economy beyond administrative functions.
The study also proposes developing an integrated data hub under the Putrajaya Urban Observatory to address information-sharing constraints between agencies and to strengthen data-driven decision-making.
Other proposals include strengthening public transport networks as well as improving management of water resources and solid waste to support long-term sustainability.
Feedback on RSP50 is being gathered through the month-long public hearing session which started on Dec 17 at PPj headquarters.
The corporation said the engagement process would allow residents, stakeholders and agencies to review proposals and submit feedback before RSP50 is finalised.
Making the link
The year also saw work on the former Putrajaya monorail bridge, which is set to open as a pedestrian and cycling facility next year.
The 200m elevated structure connecting Precinct 4 near the Finance Ministry to Precinct 8 had remained idle for two decades after the monorail project was suspended in 2004.
Some RM15mil was allocated by the Federal Government for the project to adaptively reuse the existing bridge infrastructure.
Upgrade works include construction of new access ramps, safety railings, LED lighting and aesthetic enhancements to improve the span’s usability and visual appeal.
Then PPj president Fadlun had said that the project was designed as Putrajaya’s equivalent to the touristic Saloma Link in Kuala Lumpur.
The repurposed span, he had said, would provide a dedicated non-motorised connection between precincts while encouraging walking and cycling within Putrajaya.
