KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 30): The construction of Merdeka 118 will benefit Keluarga Malaysia as this precinct will be a new economic catalyst for Kuala Lumpur, whilst complementing other areas that are rapidly developing such as KLCC and KL Sentral, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“The development of Merdeka 118 can also provide opportunities to the local community, especially in nearby areas such as Petaling Street, Kampung Attap and Pudu to generate the economy.
“In fact, Merdeka 118 is also seen to bring the spirit of Keluarga Malaysia because apart from giving the local community the opportunity to develop their business, they can also hold programs or activities to increase the attractiveness of the area around Merdeka 118 through the Merdeka 118 community grant program,” he said in his speech at the spire completion ceremony for the Merdeka 118 tower development in the capital on Tuesday.
Ismail Sabri noted he was proud of the completion of the tower spire amidst the country facing the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This is not only a great achievement in the field of engineering, but also further strengthens Malaysia's position as a modern and developed country.
“I was also made to understand that Merdeka 118 will be the first tower in Malaysia to achieve three green platinum ratings in the international sustainability certification as well as the prestigious WELL certification,” he said.
The Merdeka 118 tower now stands as the second tallest building in the world behind the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the tallest building in Southeast Asia at a height of 678.9 metres.
PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd (PMVSB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), celebrated the significant milestone for the Merdeka 118 development with the completion of the Merdeka 118 tower spire, creating a new focal point in the already distinctive Kuala Lumpur skyline.
PNB group chairman Tun Arifin Zakaria said the spire completion represents a significant step forward in the journey of the Merdeka 118 development, which started in 2016 and culminates in a momentous milestone.
“From the onset, we envisioned the Merdeka 118 tower to reflect PNB’s ambition to become a distinctive world-class investment house and our ambition as a nation, while paying homage to our history.
“It is all the more important to stay true to this aspiration today, to propel Malaysia forward on the path to recovery amidst the tough backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, I am happy to report that the tower and the surrounding infrastructure upgrades are on track for completion by late 2022,” said PNB president and group chief executive Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn.
He said construction of Menara Merdeka 118 has reached 85% completion, with the tower floor installation having reached Level 118, and the glass panel installation having been installed up to Level 114.
Spanning over 3.1 million square feet of floor area, the Merdeka 118 tower includes 1.7 million square feet of net lettable area of Premium Grade-A rentable office space.
The top 17 floors will house the first and only Park Hyatt Hotel in Malaysia. To create a memorable experience for visitors, the tower includes unique features such as The View at 118, the highest observation deck in Southeast Asia, as well as the glass-domed 118 Mall within the podium of the tower.