Putrajaya - Birth of a New Federal City

Have you heard of a place specifically designed and planned as a new city?

Most metropolis naturally grow and flourish, taking a life of its own. But few cities are exactly conceptualized from scratch. I know of Brazil’s capital – Brasilia, which was planned and developed in 1956 (and shaped like a butterfly or an airplane). It became Brazil’s capital in 1960 and is home to 3.4 million people. (Rio de Janeiro has 14.3 million.) I also know of Canberra who, in 1908, became the capital of Australia as a compromise between Melbourne and Sydney (I specifically remembered this from my friend Helen’s stories). The population is surprising spare at about 360,000.

Closer to the archipelago is Myanmar’s new capital, Naypyidaw, elected by its military junta after dethroning Yangon as it’s queen city. It was moved 300 kilometers north of Yangon, and is still set to be completed next year (2012). Tourists aren’t allowed to visit the capital, but I was fortunate enough to have awakened from my deep slumber in the wee hours of the morning as my bus navigated the road from Mandalay back to Yangon. It felt like a dream then – this was a city bathed with a hundred lights. I literally had to pinch myself as my bus unobtrusively careened through Myanmar’s immaculate, albeit clinically barren streets. In Malaysia, it is the city of Putrajaya!

Putra Bridge (above) and the hill towards the Putrajaya Landmark (below).

The first time I was here – not so long ago when I was still too green to be adequately confident with my travel choices, Putrajaya was in its incipient stages. There wasn’t much to see, except the jaw-droppingly awesome showcase buildings of Malaysia’s government offices. After all, Putrajaya’s raison d’etre is as the country’s Federal Administrative Capital located some 30 kilometers south of KL. To decongest the city, this was where government offices were located.

The juiciest rumors circulating then was that the seed money in its evolution originated from the deep pockets of Bill Gates, who also supplemented construction of Putrajaya’s twin-city – Cyberjaya, not so far from here.

True enough, everything in Putrajaya looked new. Each building was designed following traditional Malay influences admixed with modern architectural form. The hybrid end-product is quite fetching to the senses. Heck, even its surrounding lake is man-made! It was about 60% completed the first time I was here. But this time around, the city has come alive (population – 70,000). Fountains, landmarks and new buildings are still under construction, but basic “city life” has already settled into common place functionality.

Putrajaya Landmark up the Putra Perdana Gardens.

NAMING A CITY

“Putrajaya” is word play that literally means "princes' (putra) success (jaya)". Officially, the site is named in homage to Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, but Wikipedia mentions that it's also a tip of the hat towards the "princes of the soil" (bumiputra), a euphemism for ethnic Malays (as opposed to the richer Chinese minority) and one of the key concepts of Malaysia's affirmative action program. Putrajaya is one of the only three self-governing federal territories aside from KL and the controversial island of Labuan that was started in 1993, and officially moved in 1999 as the nation’s federal capital (covering a vast 4,931 hectares).

TRAIN TO PUTRAJAYA

My latest visit started early with a McDonald’s breakfast in KL. From Pasar Seni station, I took the Rapid KL train to KL Sentral (which is just one stop, at 1 ringgit or $0.32). I changed trains and hopped into a KLIA Transit train (9.50 ringgit) to Putrajaya Sentral.

Even the train station (Putra Sentral) has come alive. It used to be eerily deserted; you could run around naked without much concern for spectators. I took the escalator down the station where a row of local buses await. These would take me to the city's different “sectors”, and a convenient take-off point to nearby Cyberjaya (a new city designed to house the IT industry).

TAKING THE BUS

I took Bus no. 100 (no. 300 was also an option), paid 50 cents ($0.16), and told the driver I wanted to see the pink-domed Putra Mosque which I missed last visit. This particular bus couldn't take me directly to the mosque. I was instructed to alight from a waiting shed facing a hill, then take a leisurely walk towards Putra Mosque. The good news - I could visit Putrajaya Hill on my way to the mosque to see the Putrajaya Landmark. The Perdana Putra (Prime Minister's Office) is also in the vicinity.

Taman Putra Perdana (in Precinct 1) is beautifully landscaped. From the waiting shed, I crossed the street and started my climb up the hill which was pleasant (there were no stairs so I stepped through coiffed grass). Except for a gardener trimming the hedges, I had the place to myself. This garden provided the best views in town. Last time I was here some 3 or 4 years ago, this wasn’t even a tourist sight yet. How fast this city has evolved.

At the apex of the park stands Putrajaya Landmark – Mercu Tanda- shaped like Merlin’s wizard hat, glistening in silver (or tinfoil)! There was a row of fountains directly facing the landmark. From here, you could see the city sprawl – high rise residential edifices, the Putra Bridge, the skeletal marvel of Seri Wawasan Bridge, the sinewy lakes. It was exhilarating to be catching my breath after the climb, and getting rewarded with such view.

Money and inspired planning made this city, that’s for sure.

I was headed to the Putra Mosque, but at that particular moment, I found my favorite spot in Putrajaya.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Seri Wawasan Bridge as seen from the Perdana Putra Garden from the hill.

Prime Minister's Office (Putra Perdana)

Putra Mosque

A popular steward at the Putra Mosque becomes an unexpected celebrity. Everyone wanted a photograph with him.

If you're inappropriately clothed (shorts, skirts showing knees, skimpy tops), you will be required to wear these pink gowns if you are to enter the mosque.

Justice Ministry

Perbadanan Putrajaya or Putrajaya Corporation (PPJ) is a local authority which administers Putrajaya. PPJ is responsible for public health and sanitation, waste removal and management, town planning, environmental protection and building control, social and economic development and general maintenance functions of urban infrastructure. It's probably equivalent to Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

KLIA Transit to Putrajaya Sentral at 9.50 ringgit ($3.10 or PhP135.70).

Up next: Prime Minister’s Palace, Putra Mosque, and more

Putrajaya - Thoughts on a Visit

KLIA Express

Getting There

Unlike most travelers who prefer everything set and arranged for them by someone else (a travel agent, a tour guide), I prefer preparing for a trip myself. In fact, the most memorable trips for me are the ones that I anxiously organized myself; the ones where I handpicked the dates, the itinerary; slaved over infos on hotels, or city districts as to where I’m spending the night, etc.

I am a wanderlust, guilelessly enamored by “the process” of getting there, more than being there itself.


Such was the case with this new city called Putrajaya. Hmmm… sounds like Puduraya (KL’s main bus terminal). What makes Putrajaya unique is the fact that it is a “planned city” – now Malaysia ’s administrative capital, which means that this specially-constructed city houses most of the government offices: finance, immigration, justice, trade and industry, education, etc. This was set up to decongest Kuala Lumpur .

Trains 101

From Bukit Bintang in KL, I took the KLIA Express, the express train (top speed: 176 km/hour) that goes straight to the international airport (unlike the more commercial trains, this has only 4-5 stops), much like Shanghai’s Maglev Train (the first commercial high-speed magnetic-levitation line in the world, that runs 430 km/hour from Pudong to Puxi); much like the Virgin Intercity trains from London to Scotland; the TGV of France and the AVE of Spain. ( Japan ’s Bullet Train runs 260 km/hour.)

(Side note: I learned upon my return that taking the local aircon buses is almost as easy and absolutely cheaper. But distance has to be considered: the international airport is some 75 kms away from KL’s city center.)

Upon arrival in Putrajaya, the station beckons like a detached and standoffish welcoming party: huge, modern, and almost deserted. It was almost eerie. Taking the escalator to the groundlevel, there waited a well-planned bus service that can take you where you wanna go around the area.

A Bridge Too Far

What struck me about Putrajaya is the amazing Seri Wawasan Bridge that signals your arrival at the central area. Putrajaya is cradled by a river. It has 7 major bridges to cross, Seri Wawasan Bridge being the most beautiful. Now here is a hearsay that I am prone to believe. My taxi driver “educated” me that not a few years back, Billionaire Bill Gates wanted to share his “loot” in Asia , thus he just had to pick a country to invest in. Despite great reps on language-accessibility and the business/educational acumen of Pinoys, Gates was wary of the alarming rep the Philippines has on “corruption”. (I don’t quite understand why it has become a Filipino politician’s inherent perception that they are entitled to enrich themselves through these million-dollar infrastructure projects.) And If I were a billionaire throwing my money elsewhere, I would make sure that THAT money won’t end in the slimy hands and grimy pockets of a “few good men”. Thus he set his sight elsewhere, investing millions behind 2 new “planned” cities: Putrajaya and Cyberjaya.

Putrajaya is about 80% finished; Cyberjaya, which becomes the center of the cyber commerce, is still in its toddler’s stage, with just 30% completed. Had Gates invested in the Philippines, his hard-earned millions would have ended in overpriced street lamps, mediocre construction materials and middling highways. Hello, Cebu Convention Center ! Hello, Macapagal Highway ! (The world’s most expensive highway.) Sad case, but oh so true!

Footnotes

Being a very new city , there are but a few literatures available about Putrajaya. In fact, most travel guides that I’ve read only has Putra and Cyber as footnotes. It was a visit I HAD to do. There’s no shopping to be had (at least not in central Putrajaya), although the Alamanda Mall stands in the suburban vicinity. There are empty condo units all over the surrounding vicinity – much like London ’s council houses or a much-improved BLISS settlement area! It’s a go-see and walk-about experience – and the whole expanse is amazing! The main street is laid with bricks, and everything is wide, tall, spacious, clean; geometrically planned. Along the main avenue, you can sit by the bench and watch the river… or from the distant block, the King’s resting palace looming large with gracious copulas.

To think that Putrajaya wasn’t even in my original itinerary!

P.S.

Spent a lot texting friends while there. It’s just that there are a lot of “dead-time” when you are traveling alone – while you’re waiting for your bus or train, or having a meal by your lonesome. The cellphone becomes a steady and comforting companion. And not quite cheap too. LOL. I Have since learned to "control" myself.

During my last Halong Bay visit, I met a very smart Malaysian lady (an accountant) who travels a lot – and reads a lot too. I asked her about the Bill Gates connection. Though she wouldn’t deny Gates’ money on the construction of the 2 new cities, she does not believe that Putra is the billionaire’s brainchild at all.

Putrajaya's Train station.

Seri Wawasan Bridge

Squirting fountains right along Putrajaya Boulevard

The very pink Putra Mosque.

Putrajaya Development Authority.

Unoccupied high rise residences.

Putrajaya at night.