Plans to build massive waterfront city near Putrajaya

The Star 31 May 2004

BEIJING: A massive canal city with a self-contained township comprising residential, commercial and tourism development with interconnected canal waterways will be built in Selangor.

The RM3bil project is being undertaken by Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd, the investment arm of the state government, and Kumpulan Europlus Bhd via Canal City Construction Sdn Bhd.

The proposed canal city would cover about 5,400 acres of land to be developed into a waterfront city.

The company has secured the participation of the Shimao Group, through the purchase of about 1,300 acres of land, within the Canal City project, which is located near Putrajaya.

The Shanghai-based Shimao Group, which is one of China’s leading property developers, undertook the signing of the sales and purchase agreement here in conjunction with the visit of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Deputy chairman Tan Sri Chan Ah Chye signed on behalf of the Malaysian group with Mr Hui Wing Mau, the chairman of the Shimao Group.

One of the Shimao Group’s projects is the Shimao Rivera Garden, where a total of RM3.6bil was channelled into investments to build a series of high-rise luxurious residential towers overlooking the Huangpu River in Shanghai.

The project was ranked No. 1 in the Shanghai property market for the year 2001 and 2002.

According to a press release, through the partnership, Shimao Group would invest about RM450mil in the purchase of land.

The sale of the land and development of the project would be used to finance the construction of two infrastructure projects.

They are the construction of the network of canals connecting the Klang River to the Kuala Langat River as part of a flood mitigation scheme in Selangor.

“A by-product of this construction project is the creation of a canal city occupying an area of about 5,400 acres,” it said.

It would finance the Shah Alam 2 Expressway connecting Shah Alam to Berjuntai Bistari, to be renamed Shah Alam 2.

“The 40km toll-free expressway will reduce travelling time from Shah Alam to Shah Alam 2 to about 23 minutes,” it added.

Khalil Yaakob Appointed Sixth Melaka Governor

Bernama.com
Malaysian National News Agency
General
May 27, 2004 18:33 PM

MELAKA, May 28 (Bernama) -- Former Information Minister Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob has been appointed the sixth Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka.

Khalil, 66, succeeds Tun Syed Ahmad Shahabudin whose term expires on Thursday.

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Rustam said that Khalil would be sworn in on Friday.

Mohamed Ali said that Khalil would receive his letter of appointment from the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail at the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Mohamed Ali said that Khalil, who is a former Pahang Menteri Besar and is secretary-general of Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN), would be appointed for a four-year term.

Asked on Khalil's political position, Mohamad Ali said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would make an announcement on Khalil's status.

Syed Ahmad, 79, who was born in Kulim, Kedah, on May 4 1925, was appointed the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka on Dec 4 1984, succeeding Tun Syed Zahiruddin Syed Hassan.

He has served as Kedah Menteri Besar, Deputy Home Affairs Minister and Malaysia's High Commissioner to Singapore before being appointed as the fifth Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka.

"On behalf of the state government and the people of Melaka, I would like to thank Tun (Syed Ahmad) for his service for almost 20 years as head of the state.

"May Allah SWT always bless Tun and his family. Melaka's success in striving to achieve the status of a developed state by 2010 is somewhat due to Tun's support and encouragement," he said.

Mohamed Ali said that Khalil's appointment as the sixth Yang Dipertua Negeri was made on the advice of the state government and the Prime Minister, consented to by the Yang Di-pertuan Agong.

"I welcome (Tan Sri) Khalil and his family in heading this historical state. He is no stranger to the people of Melaka...and has wide experience in politics, the administration and social welfare," he said.

The Chief Minister said in jest that the hopes of the people in the state to have a local born to be the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka had become a reality as Khalil had family links in Melaka.

According to Mohamed Ali, the paternal side of Khalil's wife, Puan Sri Zurina Kassim, originated from Melaka.

Khalil was born in Kuantan on Dec 29 1937 and received his early education at Sekolah Ahmad in Pekan and later studied at the Malay College in Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) in 1959.

He later obtained his bachelor (honours) degree from the University of Malaya. He then joined the Administrative and Diplomatic Service and embarked on his diplomatic career with Wisma Putra in 1963.

For over 12 years he served in Italy, Morocco, Singapore and Indonesia.

From 1976 to 1978, he served as general manager of the Jengka Regional Development Authority.

Khalil, as the Pekan Umno divisional head, first contested in the general election in 1978 contesting the Bukit Ibam state seat (in the Pekan parliamentary constituency).

In the 1982 general election, he contested and won the Maran parliamentary seat. He was then appointed Deputy Education Minister (1982-1983) and later Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (1984-1986).

After winning the Tajau state seat in 1986, he was appointed Pahang Menteri Besar. He held the post for 13 years, until May 1999.

He resigned as Menteri Besar and was nominated as Senator to be appointed as Information Minister. He was simultaneously appointed as Umno secretary-general.

In the 1999 general election, Khalil contested the Kuantan parliamentary seat but did not contest in the last general election.

Khalil, who has two sons and a daughter as well as two grandchildren, is known for his talent as a painter. He is also a sportsman and loves swimming and golf.

The Sultan of Pahang has conferred on him the Setia Mahkota Pahang (SMP), Darjah Sultan Ahmad Shah (DSAP) and Seri Sultan Ahmad Ahmad Shah (SSAP) awards.

Mohamed Ali said that the swearing in ceremony on Friday would be held at the Dewan Seri Negeri.

He said that earlier, a welcoming ceremony would be held for Khalil on Thursday at the Villa Tetamu in Taman Tasek Utama here.

Khalil is scheduled to call on Syed Ahmad after the welcoming ceremony.