KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Putra at Angkasapuri here is to be known as Media City in 2020 following a redevelopment that is expected to incur an initial cost of RM860 million.The redevelopment of the 27 hectares through a government-private sector collaboration is to be under two phases covering physical structures and latest broadcasting equipment and to be funded along with Media City Development Sdn Bhd.
The signing of the agreement on the project between the government and Media City Development took place at the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry, witnessed by Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim and Deputy Minister Datuk Maglin Dennis D'Cruz. Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Kamaruddin Siaraf represented the ministry at the signing while Media City Development was represented by company director Tan Sri Syed Anwar Jamalullail.
Kamaruddin, in a briefing prior to the signing ceremony, said the first phase of the project involves the construction of broadcasting infrastructure over a period of three years.Under the second phase, the company will develop facilities which support the Media City concept on a section of the Angkasapuri site which is expected to be completed in five years after the first phase is ready, he said.
Kamaruddin said the Media City project, which was decided by the Cabinet last year, would be implemented under a concession basis over a period of 23 years, including a three-year construction period. "During the concession period, the developer will be fully responsible for the maintenance of the infrastructure except for the broadcasting technical equipment, whereby the period of maintenance is eight years," he said. He said the modern infrastructure developed under the Media City project would take Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) into a new era of national broadcasting ready to face new challenges when the country provides digital TV service soon.
"RTM will be equipped with additional production facilities such as HD TV studio, music studio and new auditorium which can accommodate 1,500 people and replacement of technical facilities and upgrading of existing TV studio production equipment. "The radio technical facilities will also be upgraded to enhance the standard of radio broadcast in the whole country," he said. Kamaruddin said the existing iconic buildings such as the eight-storey administrative building and historic buildings such as Wisma Radio would be retained.
He said the development of Media City would enable the national broadcasting industry to enter a new phase of turning Malaysia into a broadcasting hub in the Southeast Asian region. He also said that similar Media City projects have been implemented in many countries, including the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
SOURCE / AUTHOR : Bernama
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