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Repairs Foil Malaysia Leader's Move

Posted on: Thursday, 21 July 2005, 12:00 CDT

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Leaky plumbing and ailing air conditioning have prevented Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi from moving into his palatial official residence, nearly two years after he took office, news reports said Thursday.

Abdullah was supposed to shift into the mansion in Putrajaya, the administrative capital, after his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, retired in October 2003.

He initially postponed the move because his wife was undergoing treatment for breast cancer, but further delays have resulted from repairs and renovations costing $3.3 million, Johari Baharum, an official in the Prime Minister's Department, was quoted as saying by the national news agency, Bernama.

Problems at the 40-acre complex include a faulty air conditioning system, a leaking bathroom floor and hot water that takes too long to reach the bathrooms, Johari said.

"After these problems were identified, the consultant architect, civil and structural engineer, mechanical and electrical engineer, quantity surveyor and interior decorator were called in to carry out the repair work," Johari said.

The repairs are expected to be completed by the end of this month, but it is not clear when Abdullah, who is currently living elsewhere in Putrajaya, would move in.

The residence, which is less than 5 years old, was built using public funds as a centerpiece of Putrajaya, a pet project of Mahathir, who envisioned a modern metropolis of landscaped gardens and domed buildings just south of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's main city.

Mahathir stayed for about three years in the house, known for vast reception and dining rooms, opulent guest apartments, bougainvillea-filled gardens and breathtaking fountains.

Source: Associated Press/AP Online

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