KL mayor says $340m worth of City Hall projects axed in cost-cutting measure

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz said almost 10 projects were stopped. PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - At least RM1 billion (S$340 million) worth of projects planned by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall have been axed, says Kuala Lumpur Mayor Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz.

"A few projects have been chopped, including those yet to be opened for tender."

"Almost 10 projects worth about RM1 billion were stopped," he told reporters when leaving a briefing held with the Council of Eminent Persons on Monday (June 4).

The council, led by former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, advises the government on economic matters.

The KL City Hall, which administers Malaysia's biggest city, typically has the biggest municipal budget in the country.

The scrapping of the projects fits in with the new Pakatan Harapan government, which is seeking ways to cut government spending as it tries to reduce the RM1 trillion federal debt.

Tan Sri Mohd Amin noted that the City Hall projects were at the tender stage and no offers had been finalised at the time of cancellation.

Among the projects, he said, were for city roads, parking spaces, and sporting avenues.

He said: "The decision to cancel was made by the top City Hall management. We want to cut costs and we feel there are enough projects ongoing this year.

"There were also some complications obtaining land for some of the projects."

On projects like the River of Life to improve riverbanks in KL, Mr Mohd Amin said those were ongoing federal-level projects and would not be touched.

The KL City Hall in November last year said it was allocating RM2.905 billion for its 2018 budget that includes plans and projects to meet the needs of 1.86 million KL city dwellers and to realise its world-class city aspiration, by 2020.

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