KUALA LUMPUR: The
KL118 skyscraper project, also known as Menara Wawasan, is ongoing,
according to UEM Group Bhd chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Tajuddin Ali.
“We have started it and now it’s in the
finalisation of design stage. The original plan is to complete by 2020,
but to me it’s too early to say whether we are going to be able to be on
schedule because there are some detailings going on,” he said here
yesterday.
“But I am sure the team would do its best to
meet the deadline,” he told Bernama on the sidelines of UEM Group’s
Hari Raya open house here yesterday.
The major construction contract worth about
RM3.4bil was awarded by Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) to the joint
venture between UEM Group and South Korea’s Samsung C and T last year.
Samsung C and T was reported to have had
experience participating in the building of skyscrapers, which include
the Petronas Twin Towers and Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is currently
the tallest building in the world at 828 m.
PNB, via its wholly-owned subsidiary, PNB
Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, is the owner of the tower located within the
enclave of Merdeka Stadium and Stadium Negara.
The KL118 Tower, which would be the tallest
building in the country, is among the remaining major construction
projects managed by UEM Group, placed under UEM Builders Bhd.
The tower is planned to be over 500 ms tall
and will surpass the 452-m Petronas Twin Towers, and is slated to become
a new landmark in Kuala Lumpur city centre. It was reportedly said to
generate a gross development value of more than RM6bil over five years.
Ahmad Tajuddin said UEM Group is at the
moment on a reorientation mode of moving away from undertaking
construction to become a project developer and it was also considering
to be involved in concession business. – Bernama