JAKARTA - Kuala Lumpur (KL) was once considered too happy. Various worrying problems are in KL such as population density, congestion, and unhealthy air pollution. Mahathir Mohamad took a stand. The Malaysian Prime Minister (PM) launched a new city to share his role with KL as the State Capital.
Putrajaya, his name. KL is made the center of the economy. Putrajaya became the center of government. The result is significant. Traffic jams, especially pollution will not be found in Putrajaya. The only problem faced by those left in Putrajaya is loneliness.
Not a few Malaysian figures consider the KL of the city to be less representative of the Malays. Mahathir, one of them. He considered the KL to be only a city that became a sign of British colonialism and the existence of ethnic Chinese to build its business empire.
The criticism of KL continues to be carried out by Mahathir. The Malaysian PM considers that KL is no longer like a center of government. KL has a lot of problems. Crowded, congested, and full of pollution. This condition makes the government not run effectively.
Mahathir then inflamed the construction of a new city for power centers in 1989. He wanted to build a power center that was thick with the glory of the Malays and Muslims. Instead of being immediately accepted, Mahathir's idea actually provoked criticism from here and there.
Mahathir's wishes are considered too grandiose. Because Malaysia's finances are currently limited. Criticism eased over time. This condition was used optimally to lobby MPs. The people's representatives also took Mahathir's idea by surprise.
They also helped select the location of the new central government candidate, Prang Besar. The name Prang Besar was then changed by Mahathir to Putrajaya which means the noble Prince has brought glory. The construction also took place in 1995. Even though secretly.
Mahathir chose to be economical in the mass media. This strategy was carried out so that the construction of Putrajaya would continue. Even though Malaysia was hit by an economic crisis in 1997. Development was half completed a few years later.
Mahathir then proudly introduced Putrajaya as the center of the new government in 1999. All government offices were moved to Putrajaya, except for lawmakers. They chose to stay at the KL.
Mahathir doesn't care. He thinks Putrajaya is a long-term investment that will benefit Malaysia in the future.
Mahathir is very defending Putrajaya. He called Putrajaya an investment for Malaysia's long-term future. Mahathir revealed that he did not build a legacy. The government actually builds a city that can be useful for the Malaysian people in the future.
This is meant for future government, maybe 100 years, 300 years, 1,000 years. I don't know, I wouldn't have been there at that time, said Mark Landler in his writing in The New York Times newspaper entitled Putrajaya Journal; A Leader's Buildings Succeed, at Lead in Access (1999).
Mahathir immediately chose to occupy the official residence of the PM and an office in Putrajaya in June 1999. He came to Putrajaya along with 800 civil servants. At first Putrajaya's image was scary at the beginning.
Putrajaya is considered a hotbed of malaria. The area where the genie throws away children. There are not many facilities such as health and education. Even the entertainment world is quite limited. This condition makes many employees do not want to move. This condition was also followed by ambassadors who remain based at the KL.
Recently Mahathir began to focus on developing Putrajaya. Even the city managed to become an antithesis from KL. If the KL is always jammed everywhere, it will not be seen in Putrajaya. Mahathir really thought about it right. the absence of traffic jams makes there is no pollution in Putrajaya.
The absence of pollution is indeed caused by several factors. The main factor is because the population is limited. The rest is because city planning does not want small roads and factories to enter Putrajaya.
This condition makes people in Putrajaya not need to be afraid of pollution. The only thing they need to worry about is loneliness. This is because the Putrajaya population only ranged from 30 thousand people in 2007. A number that was too small compared to other national capitals. Even then, the population is dominated by government employees.
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The presence of Putrajaya creates an exclusive sense, separated from the old capital city which is polluted by KL pollution. Imagination of the Hygiene of Malays embedded in Putrajaya. Putrajaya is also a pure city. It can be controlled. Everything is planned by the Islamic government. There are no nightclubs, nightlife, no illegal immigrants, etc.
"That contrasts with KL. Putrajaya reflects the desire for Muslim Malay life, which is not polluted by the Western way of life in the city of KL. What is important is that Putrajaya can exhibit authentic Malay culture and Islamic values. This condition is different from secularism, a characteristic of Chinese people," said Yat Ming Loo in the book Architecture and Urban Form in Kuala Lumpur (2016).
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