Najib wants immediate attention to ease city congestion

KUALA LUMPUR: Three weeks after Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak went down to the ground to visit three localities in the heart of the city, the prime minister Saturday sprung another surprise when he went on a walkabout at the bustling Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Jalan TAR) and Puduraya here.
However, he was not happy with the traffic congestion and the inefficiency of the public facilities during his one-hour inspection, according to Federal Territory Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.
Najib, who was dressed casually in a brown shirt and beige pants, arrived at Jalan TAR, near Semua House at 3.20pm, accompanied by Raja Nong Chik, his deputy Datuk M. Saravanan and Kuala Lumpur city mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail.
At Jalan TAR, which is famed for its textiles and jewellery shops, Najib was briefed by Ahmad Fuad about a proposed multi-storey carpark to be located near Semua House, and other upgrading plans for the area.
He then spent about 30 minutes walking along the street where he also stopped to chat with the business people and the public there.
Later, he hitched a ride on the crowded LRT (he had to stand) from Masjid Jamek station to the Plaza Rakyat station where he walked to the infamous ever congested Puduraya where the express bus terminal for the northern and southern zones is located.
Taking break from the sweltering heat, Najib then stopped by one of the stalls in the building for a cool drink.
Najib, flanked by a phalanx of bodyguards and an entourage of officials, also attracted a large crowd of onlookers, who wasted no time snapping photographs of the nation's sixth premier.
An excited woman, armed with her cameraphone and squeezing her way through the crowd, was heard saying: "Saya mahu ambil gambar perdana menteri saya" (I want to take pictures of my prime minister).
Later, Najib inspected the long-abandoned Plaza Rakyat building project located next to Puduraya before departing at 4.25pm.
"He wants the project to resume as soon as possible," Raja Nong Chik said.
The project, which initially cost RM1.2 billion, had been abandoned for 12 years after it changed hands many times. Its current developer is Global Upline.
The Plaza Rakyat project was supposed to comprise three buildings - a 79-storey, 49-storey and 21-storey for offices, condominiums and a budget hotel.
On the upgrading plan undertaken by Kuala Lumpur City Hall to ease congestion problems in Jalan TAR, Ahmad Fuad said a project for a multi-storey car park was already in the pipeline.
He said the contract for the project on a 0.5 hectare land (near Semua House) had already been tendered out and it was expected to begin soon.
"It's a 13-storey building and is estimated to cost RM50 million. It will house a multi-storey carpark, hawker and trader centres, a multipurpose hall and office space," he added.- Bernama

tunku : we hope that najib will not only make surprise visit to the ground in kl only. he should go around the country too, may be he'll do that from time to time.we hope not only the pm and dpm goes around but all the ministers and deputy ministers to go to the ground always and listen to the people.if they can do this, i am sure next election bn will win it with 2/3 majority without any problem.same goes for all the leaders of bn,member of parliaments and states assembly members , go to the ground and be with the people.the key word is BE WITH THE PEOPLE.