BY TASHNY SUKUMARAN
New landmark: Najib admiring a model of Warisan Merdeka during the launch in Kuala Lumpur.
PETALING JAYA: An iconic new Malaysian landmark is on the horizon with the launch of Warisan Merdeka by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The mega-tower mixed development project will be undertaken by Permodalan Nasional Berhad on a 19-acre piece of land and is expected to be completed by 2024.
An 118-storey tower and a shopping mall, with a gross development value of RM5bil promises to be a "new landmark" in Kuala Lumpur and the tallest tower in Malaysia at 630m, over 100m taller than the Petronas Twin Towers which stands at 451.9m. It will also be the second tallest tower in Asia and fifth in the list of "mega-tall" buildings globally.
In his speech, Najib said that iconic buildings "helped to define a city" as they "make a compelling statement about its history".
He also said that Warisan Merdeka would complement and enhance the historically important sites of Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara, both of which are also owned by PNB.
Najib said that it would also generate both primary and secondary economic spin-off, and "add to KL's attractiveness as an investment and tourism destination."
Najib also renamed the tower as "Merdeka PNB118".
Present at the launch was PNB chairman Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid and PNB president and group chief executive Tan Sri Hamad Kama Piah Che Othman Hamad.
The building will hold a 6-star luxury hotel with 236 rooms, a sky lobby, and 82 floors of offices.
The mall is expected to hold over 200 stores and a 12-screen cinema.
Designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects from Melbourne, Australia, the building will also be the first in Malaysia to satisfy the triple green building platinum index accreditations locally and internationally – the Green Building Index, GreenRe, and Leadership and Energy and Environmental Design.
