It may come as a big surprise but Kuala Lumpur is no longer the administrative capital of Malaysia. That honour belongs to the new township of Putra Jaya, Selangor, which is located in the heart of the highly innovative Multi-Media- Super- Corridor(MSC).
It is being talked about as Malaysia’s loveliest most eco-friedly and intelligent city.Such hype is a wee bit premature for although the Prime Minister’s Department and a number of other key government agencies have already relocated to Putra Jaya, it is still very much in the early phases of development.
The early developments are impressive. One of the first
sights that greet you are the lovely royal and champagne
palms and the architecture, which has Moorish overtones.The landscaping of the main buildings is very impressive
indeed.Clearly the landscaping budget is a big one.
A few residential areas have been constructed and the
housing is undeniably of a high quality. It might be added it is also pretty expensive.A clever touch can be found in the lamp posts in the new town-they are in the shape of wan bulan, or giant kite, and the designers certainly are trying to display Malaysia’s cultural heritage at Putra Jaya. The mosque is a fine example of Islamic architecture and the Prime Minister’s house is also a luxurious building.
From a tourist perspective the major attraction, apart from
the architecture, has to be the Putra Jaya Wetlands. These cover a total of about 650 hectares and consist of constructed marsh areas and lake systems. The Wetlands offer
attractions such as nature trails, 3-storey look out towers, artificial water bird ponds, viewing decks, a wetland plant nursery and shelter huts.
The reserve is actually said to be the largest constructedfreshwater wetland in the tropics and contains over 12 million plants from some 70 exclusively indigenous species.
Visitors are able to gain an educational hands-on
experience through a visit to the Nature Interpretation
Centre (NIC), which is located at the Putra Jaya Wetland Park. The NIC- Malaysian’s love abbreviations-providesslide and video presentations, wetland flora and fauna exhibits, poster displays, a wetland plant herborium, murals and houses wetland products. There is also a souvenir
shop and a cafe.It is already proving to be a resounding success and more and more Malaysians and some foreign tourists are putting it on their list of must see sights.
Not far away is Cyberjaya which is being developed as the nucleus of the MSC and the planners are seeking to make
it an intelligent township with a symbiotic harmony between the Creator, man, environment and technology. A major
emphasis being given to the sustenance of an eco-friendly environment. Some 40 per cent Of Cyberjaya
is reputedly going to be given over to green lung and public
areas. As yet, however, apart from the highly attractive
resort hotel, The Cyberview Lodge, the MSC Headquarters and some impressive new buildings, there is a not great deal to see.