Malaysia – The new Matrade centre planned for Kuala Lumpur will be eight times the size of the KLCC, according to government officials.
The RM628 million (US $185m) venue, being developed by the Naza Group in a privatisation agreement with the government, will offer an estimated 90,000sqm when it is completed in 2014.
Plans to build a new convention and exhibition centre in the capital were originally met with criticism from many in the Malaysian MICE sector, who questioned the demand for another venue in the Klang Valley. The region is already home to three existing events centres, plus another large venue in Putrajaya.
However, international trade and industry minister, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, pictured, said the size of the new venue alone will draw international business to the region.
“We need this centre. What we have now is small in comparison with our requirements and to what other countries have,” he said. “It’s not just the centre, they will also be building hotels, apartments, shopping malls and parking space, so the gross development value will come to RM15 billion.
“The concept will be like KLCC except that this will be huge; eight times bigger than KLCC,” he added.
Mustapa also defended the proposed centre in Jalan Duta by claiming the building-for-land deal effectively meant the government was getting it for free. “This is nothing but a public-private partnership. We have this building for free and in return we give them a piece of land.”
