Angkasapuri Media City to be developed as an icon

KUALA LUMPUR: Angkasapuri Media City will be developed as a national broadcasting centre and icon, especially in the area of digital technology, says caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The newly launched and well-equipped Media City is set in the class of Hollywood in the United States or BBC studios in the United Kingdom.

“It could be transformed into a national content publishing model as done by Hollywood, the BBC or the content industry in Japan and South Korea, which centres on local culture and lifestyle with universally shared values.

“In the future, the Media City will also continue to be developed as the national broadcasting centre with the participation and presence of various local broadcasters, just like the successfully implemented Media City in Dubai, Manchester, Singapore and Sydney,” he said when opening the complex here yesterday.

Ismail Sabri also announced the names of roads around the complex, namely Jalan Penyiaran, Jalan Lensa, Jalan Frekuensi and Bulatan Simfoni.

The Angkasapuri Media City complex, he noted, would be a symbol of strategic public-private cooperation.

“It may also give rise to the creation of a new national broadcasting policy based on two important matters – inclusivity and Keluarga Malaysia,” he added.

Ismail Sabri said the technology that came with the development of Angkasapuri Media City must be utilised in the creation of clearer content as well as radio and television programmes besides providing information and entertainment to the people.

“I hope that with this building, follow-up steps can be taken so that Malaysian broadcasting standards are comparable to those in the Asean region and internationally,” he said, adding that the effort was part of coordinated development with the Greater Kuala Lumpur Masterplan.

It is also complemented by the planning and construction of new highways and other projects in Lembah Pantai, as part of the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040 agenda.

The Angkasapuri Media City project, which began on Dec 12, 2016, is developed at a cost of RM86mil.

The complex boasts 18 floors of office space, a 1,000-seat auditorium, studios for music recording and practice, three TV studios, a multi-storey parking facility and a plaza as well as an outdoor broadcast vehicle garage.

It is also equipped with a 34.5m escalator, the longest among the country’s government offices.

Also present at the event were Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Deputy Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin and Communications and Multimedia Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Mentek.