KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Aug 2011: 1MDB (“1Malaysia Development Berhad”) has made a slew of appointments as the Kuala Lumpur International Financial District (KLIFD) begins to take shape.

Eleven local and global companies covering various fields including sustainability, infrastructure engineering, landscape planning and traffic management were appointed based on their experience and track record.

1MDB Real Estate Sdn Bhd (“1MDB Real Estate”) Chief Operating Officer Dato’ Azmar Talib said: “We wanted to be very thorough and transparent in the selection process. We adopted best global practices.”

“In addition, we engaged potential vendors in continuous dialogues to ensure seamless synergy with the team,” he said.

He stressed: “Given the scale of the development and its impact on national growth, we seek not just capability and capacity but people who also share our vision for a sustainable and holistic KLIFD and our passion to deliver a Greater KL.”

Dato’ Azmar added that the selection of consultants for Bandar Malaysia, a KLIFD twin development in Sungai Besi, will undergo the same rigorous process. In March, 1MDB, through its subsidiary 1MDB Real Estate, carried out a pre-qualification and RFP process.

The successful consultants are as follows:

• Infrastructure Engineers: EDP Consulting Group Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) and Buro Happold Consulting Engineers (UK & USA)\
• Traffic Management Consultant: Perunding Trafik Klasik Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
• Quantity Surveyor: Perunding NFL Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
• Landscape Architect: Akitek Jururancang Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) and Grant Associates (UK)
• Land Surveyor: Jurukur Perpaduan Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) and Jurukur ESA Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
• Security & Risks Engineers: ARUP Jururunding Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) and ARUP Group International (Hong Kong)
• Sustainability Consultant: Buro Happold Consulting Engineers (UK & USA)
• Program Management Advisor: KEO International Consultants (Qatar)

These appointments are additional to the Master Planners named recently — Akitek Jururancang Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Machado Silvetti & Associates — following an international design competition.

KLIFD is currently at the master planning phase and is on track to start construction beginning of next year.

The 75-acre development in the Imbi area fronting Jalan Tun Razak aims to bring together leading financial institutions and top global companies to create a catalytic pool of world-class players.

It will leverage on Malaysia’s existing strength in Islamic finance and play on its strategic location to complement other financial centres within the region.