|
Abandoned
Plaza Rakyat project stands out like a sore thumb in city
01/05/2009 The Star By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ
THE Plaza Rakyat project in Kuala Lumpur was launched at about the same
time that the Suria KLCC was being built in the mid-90s.
However, while the iconic twin towers stand majestically tall today, the
Plaza Rakyat project has been left uncompleted and stands like a sore
thumb at the busy Pudu area.
While many of the buyers have now given up hope on the RM1.4bil project
after waiting for almost 15 years, some are still keeping the fingers
crossed, hoping that it could be revived as they had invested heavily in
it.
Retiree Steven Yong, 65, said when the Plaza Rakyat project was launched
in 1996, he paid a substantial amount in downpayment for two shop lots of
different sizes, one on the first floor and another on the fourth floor,
both costing a total of nearly RM600,000.
“During that time, there was a huge publicity about the prestigious
project and it was very promising. It had a sense of security and
modernity to it, and it sounded like a real good investment,” Yong said.
Stalled: The long-halted Plaza Rakyat project in the city centre.
“My late wife, who was running a hair salon at the Central Market bought a
unit with the intention of moving her business into the Plaza Rakyat. But
my wife didn’t live to see her dream come true as, even till today, the
project has yet to be completed,” he said.
“Now my son Will has taken over the salon, which is still at Central
Market, and we are hoping that the Plaza Rakyat project will be revived,”
Yong said.
He said the developer had promised to complete the building in three or
four years at the time of purchase but till today, despite various
promises, the project was still stalled.
“In 2005, the project developer was asked by the then Federal Territories
Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique to provide a timetable of its work
schedule till completion, but till now, there is no sign of any progress,”
he said.
According to Yong, there are about 200 buyers who are in such a dilemma
like him.
“The first floor of the building is completed before work was halted. I am
still servicing the bank loan interest for my first floor unit although I
am paying nothing for the fourth floor unit,” he said.
The Plaza Rakyat project, developed by Wembley Industries Hol-dings Bhd,
is on 6.322 million sq ft of land leased from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)
for 88 years.
The first phase comprises a retail shopping plaza with a million sq ft of
net letable area, a 223-unit 41-storey condominium block, a central
terminus for the Light Rail Rapid Transit system (LRT), long haul buses
and outstation taxis, and a 150-room tourist class hotel.
The second phase comprises a 72-storey office tower with a million sq ft
of letable space and a 19-storey 480-room 4-star hotel, originally
scheduled for completion in 1998.
However, work on the project was stopped after the developer landed into a
financial crisis.
But there may be hope yet as the developer has been given three months to
come up with a plan to revive the project.
|
