KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — The cost of the Parliament building upgrading and restoration project is at RM626.1 million after an additional allocation of RM26.1 million was approved by the government in February, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said today.

The additional allocation that was approved on February 17, 2023, was made to meet the requirements of the Local Council, fire department and parliamentary function requirements and in line with the decision of the Parliament building upgrading and restoration valuation management lab for Phase 2C which was implemented from October 8 to 12, 2018 and the approval of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) on November 29, 2019.

“The upgrade and repair project of the Parliament building initially started when in 2007, the government appointed Syarikat IKRAM Sdn Bhd to carry out a study ‘The Comprehensive Assessment and Rehabilitation for the Parliament House’.

“The objective of the study was to increase the stability of the building; comply with requirements of the National Heritage Department and fire department; ensure the building achieves its functional purpose and user requirements; and ensure the capacity could accommodate present and future needs,” Azalina said in a written reply yesterday.

Azalina was responding to DAP’s Kepong MP who asked the Prime Minister about the status of the Parliament building upgrade and repair project which started in 2011, the latest costs incurred, and the reasons for the delay in completing the project.

She added that the study conducted back then, was done by carrying out inspections on the almost 50-year-old Parliament building, and from the inspection by IKRAM, they found that there were cracks, damages and defects that have been identified on the structure of the Parliament building, as a whole, was at a critical level.

According to Azalina, the cost of the project initially implemented in 2011 has a ceiling cost of RM520 million which was approved by the government in August 2011.

Later, in May 2017, the government approved an additional allocation of RM80 million, which increased project costs amounting to RM600 million.

The additional allocation was to cover significant changes to the scope of the project, technical requirements and logistics, and changes involving the transformation of the Parliament.

The upgrading and restoration project was done in phases since March 28, 2011, and is expected to be completed by January 8, 2025.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/11/30/azalina-parliament-building-upgrading-restoration-project-costs-rm6261m-expected-completion-january-2025/105006