WHAT we can see in this majestic place is all man-made, from the river up to the towering buildings in different architectural designs. Malaysians call it planned city, tourists call it modern man-made paradise.
With less than three hours flight from Manila to Kuala Lumpur, one can visit the government seat of Malaysia known as Putrajaya. It is 25 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpur or 40 minutes away from Kuala Lumpur and only 20 minutes from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The word “putra” was based on the name of the first prime minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra while “jaya” means victory. Its development started in early 1990s and today major landmarks are completed.
The 45-minute cruise in Putrajaya Lake, which costs 50 RM or about P700, will enable tourists to view the landmarks of the federal administrative center of Malaysia. This lake in the heart of Putrajaya is man-made with 650 hectares housing 36 different fish species.
Two big mosques can be seen through the cruise. The Putra Mosque known as the “Red Mosque”, which is modeled after the Persian Islamic architecture with elegant interiors and design, can accommodate up to 15,000 worshippers. The Sultan Mizan Mosque known as “Steel Mosque” built with 6,000 tons steel in a modern contemporary art concept can accommodate 21,000 worshippers at one time.
Eight bridges designed in grandeur are spotted while cruising. These bridges are built either in geometric pattern designs with cables and steel in arch shape or towering points.
Darul Ehsan Palace, the palace for the Sultan of Selangor, is a huge grey mansion that can easily attract tourists’ attention. The Prime Minister Office is built in green colored dome while the Palace of Justice is off-white. These structural designs look like a giant onion from a distance capped with heavy and royal designs.
The grounds are surrounded with landscapes and fresh trees abound the area. No traces of trash can be seen along the sides though the Selera Putra, a well known food court beside the lake, is crowded with tourists.
According to Tourism Malaysia, 47,686 Filipinos went to Malaysia as tourists as of May 2012. Compared to the Filipino tourists in 2011, the number of Filipino tourist arrivals in Malaysia increased to 42.7 percent in 2012.
Philippines, however, only ranked seventh in the list of Malaysia tourist arrivals. Singapore ranks first with almost a million locals visiting Malaysia.
Putrajaya is one place that Filipinos must not miss when visiting Malaysia. Seeing its stunning and unique architectural designs is one fairytale-dream come true. (Published in Sunstar Davao on July 29, 2012, written by Maria Gemima C. Valderrama and photos by Ronald Jayme)