Dr M takes Cabinet on luncheon cruise, jokes about 'secret tunnel'
Wednesday, 19 Dec 201810:22 PM MYT
PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and members of his Cabinet went on a luncheon cruise on the Putrajaya Lake, taking in the sights from the 650-hectare man-made expanse of water.
The luncheon cruise after the weekly meeting of the Cabinet was organised by Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad.
Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Bakar also joined the cruise on Wednesday (Dec 19).
Dr Mahathir took the opportunity of the cruise to explain to the ministers a little about the history, development and beauty of Putrajaya.
Dr Mahathir disclosed that the concept of the Putrajaya development was an idea of the late Tan Sri Elyas Omar. Elyas was the third mayor of Kuala Lumpur, from Feb 1, 1983, to Nov 17, 1992.
“This Putrajaya concept is not mine. Elyas wanted a place to develop a government administrative centre, where all the buildings are occupied by government offices.
“We proposed to have such a development in Janda Baik, Pahang, but there were some problems, and we selected a venue between Kuala Lumpur and the KL International Airport (KLIA),” he said.
Dr Mahathir joked: “If I want to flee, I can get to KLIA. Someone said there is a tunnel from the Prime Minister's residence to KLIA, so that I can flee, but I am not going to do that.”
The Prime Minister also said foreign dignitaries were impressed with Putrajaya.
"I believe everyone who came here was very impressed. They tell me that they wish to have something like this and some of them have tried to build their own administrative capital," he said. - Bernama
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/12/19/dr-m-takes-cabinet-on-luncheon-cruise-jokes-about-secret-tunnel/#TEypBD2jPM2c2Flb.99
Wednesday, 19 Dec 201810:22 PM MYT
PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and members of his Cabinet went on a luncheon cruise on the Putrajaya Lake, taking in the sights from the 650-hectare man-made expanse of water.
The luncheon cruise after the weekly meeting of the Cabinet was organised by Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad.
Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Bakar also joined the cruise on Wednesday (Dec 19).
Dr Mahathir took the opportunity of the cruise to explain to the ministers a little about the history, development and beauty of Putrajaya.
Dr Mahathir disclosed that the concept of the Putrajaya development was an idea of the late Tan Sri Elyas Omar. Elyas was the third mayor of Kuala Lumpur, from Feb 1, 1983, to Nov 17, 1992.
“This Putrajaya concept is not mine. Elyas wanted a place to develop a government administrative centre, where all the buildings are occupied by government offices.
“We proposed to have such a development in Janda Baik, Pahang, but there were some problems, and we selected a venue between Kuala Lumpur and the KL International Airport (KLIA),” he said.
Dr Mahathir joked: “If I want to flee, I can get to KLIA. Someone said there is a tunnel from the Prime Minister's residence to KLIA, so that I can flee, but I am not going to do that.”
The Prime Minister also said foreign dignitaries were impressed with Putrajaya.
"I believe everyone who came here was very impressed. They tell me that they wish to have something like this and some of them have tried to build their own administrative capital," he said. - Bernama
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/12/19/dr-m-takes-cabinet-on-luncheon-cruise-jokes-about-secret-tunnel/#TEypBD2jPM2c2Flb.99
