M'sian master plan to rebuild Banda Aceh includes seawall

M'sian master plan to rebuild Banda Aceh includes seawall

Sean Yoong, The Associated Press/Banda Aceh

A Malaysian master plan to reconstruct the tsunami-battered city
of Banda Aceh will focus on building 120,000 new homes and a
seawall, officials said on Monday, giving the first details of a
massive project that is likely to benefit Malaysian companies.

A team of Malaysian town planners who arrived on Saturday to
start drawing up blueprints could complete a conceptual vision in
one month and a master plan in three months, Malaysian Deputy
Prime Minister Mohd. Najib Razak said during a one-day visit to
Banda Aceh.

Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province on Sumatra island,
bore the brunt of the Dec. 26 earthquake-tsunami. Most of the
city was destroyed, and Malaysia has offered to rebuild it in
collaboration with Indonesia.

"The final shape will depend on the wishes of the Indonesian
government and people, who will determine the art and the
philosophy of the construction," Najib told reporters after
opening a Malaysian-run relief center. The center is expected to
house more than 2,000 tsunami victims, including 600 orphans.

Najib refused to put a price tag on the reconstruction, or
talk about the funding, saying it would be discussed with
multilateral financial institutions.

Najib said last week that several Malaysian companies would
probably take part in the reconstruction if they obtained
Indonesia's approval. But on Monday, he was more reticent about
the plans.

"In the second phase, we will discuss the funding and the
involvement of companies and so forth," Najib said.

Malaysian companies have gained much experience with huge
infrastructure projects in recent years, including the Petronas
Twin Towers -- once the world's tallest buildings -- as well as
the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and a Formula 1 racing
track.

Many of the planners in Banda Aceh helped build Malaysia's new
administrative capital, Putrajaya -- a carefully landscaped
complex of government offices blending modern facilities with
Islamic architecture - in an area that was once mostly rubber and
palm oil plantations.

Malaysia's help is expected to strengthen ties between the two
countries at a time when the problem of illegal Indonesian
workers in Malaysia has become a major irritant.