Parliament hall fix to cost RM24m, says minister
By The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — Parliament House’s multi-purpose hall is expecting a RM24 million makeover, Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said today.
He said the project was mooted after it was decided that the hall will be used for the 2012 Budget unveiling towards the end of this year.
The minister said it is necessary to start work on the hall soon to make sure the building is done in time for when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tables next year’s budget.
“The lives of all elected representatives is important, so we need to make sure the hall is safe for all of us to use,” he said when responding to a supplementary question from Pokok Sena MP, Mahfuz Omar, during question time.
Shaziman acknowledged that the project has been awarded to Trans Resource Corporation (TRC) Sdn Bhd via direct negotiations, but emphasised that the cost is still pending Cabinet approval.
He, however, assured that TRC’s appointment is not without good reason, as the company was named the best performing company for major projects worth RM30 million and above by the PWD in 2010.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, who is the minister in charge of Parliament, revealed in November last year, a RM485 million expansion plan to renovate the 47-year-old Parliament building, which will see the construction of a new chamber and a new six-storey building for administration and MPs’ offices.
He said the project should kick off by middle of this year and was currently pending approval from the Cabinet.
