KUALA LUMPUR: To ensure nation’s heritage is preserved, a total of 800 trees including 150 large trees aged more than 100 years old will undergo restoration at a park situated behind the National Monument, better known as Taman Tugu.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said this today in his twitter (@NajibRazak) and blog (najibrazak.com).
He said the ongoing project estimated to cost about RM650 million will see an additional 4,000 ethnic Malaysian rainforest trees planted in the park.
After the recent launch of the first phase of River of Life project and Blue Pool project, the Taman Tugu project will be the first urban rainforest park in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
The 26.7ha (66-acre) rainforest park, he said, would be run by a public trust called National Heritage Trust (Amanah Warisan Negara).
The park would have recreational facilities including a playground, waterpark, camping site, jogging track and event spaces.
Apart from recreational facilities, the park will also offer food and beverage outlets and a rainforest education centre.
Najib said the government had identified a 25-acre land near at the National Monument to be part of the heritage conservation project which would remain as the public green space.
The project which commenced in October last year was expected to be completed by mid-2018. Taman Tugu project is a joint effort between Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
Other agencies like the Federal Territories Ministry, Economic Planning Unit, Public-Private Partnership Unit, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and non-government organisation Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) were part of the project.