PUTRAJAYA: The cabinet has approved the proposal to redevelop the Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station (KL Sentral) to cater to the increasing number of commuters and traffic volume in the main public transportation hub.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the proposal put forth by his ministry would cost about RM1 billion to be borne by Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) as the primary developer.
"The station redevelopment will not have any financial implications to the government, and MRCB will entirely bear the cost.
"The redevelopment will also not impact public transportation operations such as the Light Rail Transit (LRT), KTM and Electric Train Service (ETS) as the operations will continue to run," he told a press conference held at the ministry's headquarters today.
Also present during the press conference was the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Jana Santhiran Muniayan.
Loke said in return, MRCB would be allowed to develop the surrounding area, such as constructing condominiums and commercial buildings.
He added that the redevelopment of the station was vital as it was the central public transportation hub used by the public, adding that passenger capacity had increased to 200,000 people daily.
"The station's daily operations are very packed right now, especially during peak hours when the public uses public transportation as their primary mode.
"Hence, the current capacity is insufficient and needs redevelopment, including a high-security system."
Also, Loke said, further discussion on the redevelopment process would involve the Public Private Partnership Unit (UKAS) in the Prime Minister's Department and MRCB itself.
"At the same time, the ministry will provide a maximum of two years for both parties (to discuss the redevelopment process) and hope that any matters can be finalised earlier so the redevelopment process can be accelerated.
"This is a strategic and essential project for the ministry that must be prioritised, and I hope (that the discussion) can be finalised within a year.
"The important thing is that the station must be redeveloped before any construction is being done."