The state investment arm said the park would give the people an alternative recreational venue to frequent rather than visits to shopping malls.
“People would be able to walk, cycle, camp and enjoy the rainforest,” Khazanah Managing Director Azman Mokhtar said of the project.
Khazanah will be financing RM500 million of the RM650 million Taman Tugu Rainforest Park, launched by the prime minister earlier this week.
Azman said the park will be linked by a covered 1km walkway from the Bank Negara KTM station, an underpass from Taman Botanical. Taman Botanical in turn will be linked to KL Sentral. The traffic hub will also be connected to the National Museum.
“People from KL Sentral will be able to walk to the park.
“Tourists will spend half a day longer because there will be attractions for them at the park. They will be a lot of activities and things to see at the urban park.
“It will generate revenue for locals,” Azman said.
A Khazanah study revealed that 1.1 million local and foreign visitors visited the Tugu Negara yearly. A park adjacent to it is expected to draw even more visitors.
The nearby Lake Garden is not as popular except on weekends, mostly attracting joggers.
The park will also have restaurants, a camping area, canopy walks, zip lines, a water park, jogging path, walkways, cycling lanes and an observation deck. It will also have a learning and innovation centre.
The government hopes the project will become an icon for Kuala Lumpur, similar to how Hyde Park is synonymous with London, and Central Park with New York.
Azman said the park will be developed in stages until 2020, with the majority of the construction completed by 2018.
“The cost of the trees alone is less than 5 per cent of the cost.”
The existing 1,000 trees will be preserved and another 5,000 planted on the 66 acres of land.
Azman was present during the first dialogue session with the public on the project today.
He said 15 per cent of the total cost will go towards operations, maintenance and community development for 12 years up to 2028.
One-third of the costs is for the park itself.
Azman said this was Khazanah’s corporate social responsibility project, part of Khazanah’s 25th anniversary celebration slated for 2019.
He said this when commenting on PKR Secretary-General Rafizi Ramli’s claim that the project may be a front to raise funds for Barisan Nasional ahead of the 14th General Election.
CIMB Bank and Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad have pledged financial support for constructing the pedestrian deck from KL Sentral to the Botanical Gardens, he added.
KL City Hall (DBKL) has been tasked with providing ample parking spaces.
The second dialogue session will be held tomorrow with Azman at Level 7, Mercu UEM from 10am to noon.