Putrajaya

Putrajaya , officially the Federal Territory of Putrajaya (Malay: Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya), is the administrative and judicial capital of Malaysia. The seat of the federal government of Malaysia was moved in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya because of overcrowding and congestion in the former, whilst the seat of the judiciary of Malaysia was later moved to Putrajaya in 2003. Kuala Lumpur remains as Malaysia's national capital city per the constitution and is still the seat of the head of state (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) and the national legislature (Parliament of Malaysia), as well as being the country's commercial and financial centre.

The establishment of Putrajaya was the idea of the then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. The development of Putrajaya began in August 1995 and it was completed at an estimated cost of US$8.1 billion. On February 1, 2001, Putrajaya became Malaysia's third federal territory, after Kuala Lumpur in 1974 and Labuan in 1984. Putrajaya is also a part of MSC Malaysia, a special economic zone that covers Klang Valley.

Etymology

Putrajaya was named after the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj; the territory is entirely enclaved within the Sepang District of the state of Selangor. The etymology of the city is derived from the Sanskrit language, which was then adopted into Malay; "putra" (पुत्र) means son and "jaya" (जया) means "success" or "victory"; hence Putrajaya means victorious men or people.

History and design

Prang Besar (Jawi: , alternately Perang Besar (Malay for "Great War"), was founded in 1921 on land that was jungle, as a rubber plantation by British veterans of World War I, hence the name. Its land area of expanded to , and it was merged with surrounding estates, including Estet Raja Alang, Estet Galloway and Estet Bukit Prang.

Until 1975, what is today Putrajaya, along with adjacent Cyberjaya, was under the administration of Hulu Langat (Kajang) district.

The vision of a new Federal Government Administrative Centre to replace Kuala Lumpur as the administrative capital emerged in the late 1980s, during the tenure of Malaysia's fourth prime minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad A new city adjacent to Kuala Lumpur was envisioned, where the government would systematically locate its government offices within an efficient administrative hub; as opposed to the past where government offices were previously scattered across the congested Kuala Lumpur. The new city was proposed to be located between Kuala Lumpur and the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Two areas were proposed: Prang Besar and Janda Baik of Pahang. The new name was chosen for the site.

The federal government negotiated with the state of Selangor on the prospect of another federal territory. In the mid-1990s, the federal government paid a substantial amount of money to Selangor for approximately of land in Prang Besar, Selangor. As a result of this land purchase, Selangor now surrounds two federal territories within its borders: Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Planned as a garden city and intelligent city, 38% of the area is green spaces in which the natural landscape is enhanced. The plan incorporated a network of open spaces and wide boulevards. Construction began in August 1995; it was Malaysia's biggest project and one of Southeast Asia's largest, with an estimated final cost of US$8.1 billion. The entire project was designed and constructed by Malaysian companies, with only 10% imported materials.

The Asian Financial Crisis of 1997/1998 somewhat slowed the development of Putrajaya. 300 members of the Prime Minister's office staff moved there in 1999, and the remaining government servants moved in 2005. On 1 February 2001, the city was formally transferred to the federal government and declared Malaysia's third federal territory.

In 2002, a rail line called KLIA Transit was opened, linking Putrajaya to KLIA in Sepang. The construction of the Putrajaya Monorail, which was intended to be the city's metro system, was suspended owing to high costs. One of the monorail suspension bridges in Putrajaya remains unused.

In April 2013, the Putrajaya government signed a letter of intent (LOI) with the government of Sejong City in South Korea to mark co-operation between the two cities.

Demographics

Population

In 2007 the population of Putrajaya was estimated to be over 30,000, which comprised mainly government servants. Government public servants have been encouraged to relocate to the city through various government subsidy and loan programs. The population had increased to 88,300 by 2015.

Infrastructure

Most of the infrastructures in Putrajaya adopt Middle-Eastern architectural designs, which symbolises Malaysian Islamic Identity.

Infrastructure and places of worship

• Alamanda Putrajaya Shopping Centre - the only shopping mall within Putrajaya
• Heritage Square
• Putrajaya Corporation Square
• Selera Putra
• Souq Putrajaya
• Pusat Kejiranan Presint 9
• Pusat Kejiranan Presint 16
• Putra Mosque
• Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque
• PUSPANITAPURI (Persatuan Kesejahteraan Rakyat Malaysia)

Monuments

• Putrajaya Landmark
• Millennium Monument
• National Heroes Square

Open spaces

• Putrajaya Lake
• Putra Square
• Putrajaya Wetlands Park
• Taman Selatan
• Putrajaya Botanical Gardens – The biggest botanical garden in Malaysia, covering an area over 92 hectares

International relations

Twin towns and sister cities

Putrajaya is twinned with these cities:

• Cyberjaya, Malaysia
• Astana, Kazakhstan
• Sejong City, South Korea

Further reading

• King, Ross: Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya: Negotiating Urban Space in Malaysia, Nias Press, 2008