High-profile district to include Harrods Hotel

Vast area: (From left) Raja Nong Chik, Dr Hussain, Abdul Aziz and chief secretary to the government Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa looking at the scaled model of the premier shopping district at the Harrods Hotel groundbreaking ceremony.

The Government aims to designate a premier shopping district for the country in its quest to become a high-income nation by the year 2020, said Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

“The district is none other than Bukit Bintang and KLCC (BB-KLCC) and where Harrods Hotel will be located,” he said, adding that this was in line with the nation’s Tourism National Key Economic Area (NKEA).

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for Harrods Hotel held at the Seri Melayu Restaurant in Jalan Conlay yesterday, Nong Chik said with Kuala Lumpur ranked the fourth best shopping destination in the world and second in Asia-Pacific, there was no doubt that the country would continue to attract huge investors like Qatar Holding to the country.

“Generating RM58mil in tourism-related receipts through 24.7 million visitors, Malaysia offers a fruitful and growing investment opportunity.

“The emergence of Qatar Holding acts as a catalyst for future investments and this is a good sign. This shows that our initiatives to make Kuala Lumpur an international class city under the Greater Kuala Lumpur-Klang Valley NKEA have been worthwhile,” said Nong Chik, adding that the ministry would fasttrack large-scale developments in the city provided they met the requirements of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

He said with such global recognition, the country’s tourism sector would see even more foreign investments, generating revenue that would in turn spur economic growth.

Also present at the groundbreaking ceremony were Qatar Holding vice-chairman Dr Hussain Ali Al-Abdulla, Jerantas Sdn Bhd corporate representative Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Ismail and Tradewinds Corporation Bhd group chief executive officer Shaharul Farez Hassan.

In his opening speech, Dr Hussain praised the stability of the Malaysian Government and its pragmatic policies that had created a conducive investment environment for institutions such as Qatar Holding.

“Malaysia is an attractive tourist destination and this convinced us that Kuala Lumpur is ideal for a Harrods Hotel,” he said, adding that the abundance of skilled and highly-trained workforce as well as the country’s rich agricultural commodities were also part of the reasons for their investment.

The integrated development of Harrods Hotel spans 5.48 acres and will comprise two residential towers, an office building and a retail podium, with direct connectivity to the award-winning Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

The hotel will be strategically located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle — at the intersection of Jalan Raja Chulan and Jalan Conlay.

-thestar online.