It said while the government’s aspirations for modern, people-first cities are clear, no large-scale public project should proceed – let alone be accelerated – without such robust oversight mechanisms in place.
It was responding to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s call on Oct 17 for the construction of the RM4 billion project in Putrajaya to be expedited.
Anwar urged Putrajaya Holdings, master developer of the administrative capital, to give the project its full attention.
In a statement today, TI-M president Raymon Ram said the scale and complexity of Kota Madani demand that transparency and accountability be embedded at every stage, and “not applied after the fact”.
“Governance must be proactive, not reactive,” he said, adding that the Government Procurement Act 2025 proposes a unified legal framework that is intended to promote transparency, competition, and accountability in public procurement.
“It introduces uniform rules across federal, state and statutory bodies, reinforces conflict-of-interest disclosure, and introduces criminal penalties for bid manipulation and contract flipping.
“It also creates a procurement appeal tribunal to independently review procurement disputes.
“However, while the GPA provides an important structural foundation, it does not yet mandate external oversight such as independent monitoring. This presents a critical governance gap, particularly for high-risk, high-value projects like Kota Madani.”
Raymon said oversight does not slow development, but strengthens outcomes and enhances legitimacy instead.
He urged the government to adopt “integrity pacts” coupled with independent expert monitors (IEMs), or neutral professionals, in the project.
“Madani City fits the profile of a high-risk procurement: its project value exceeds RM1 billion, it is structured through a public-private partnership, and it carries both strategic significance and public interest.
“For a development of such symbolic and material importance, real-time oversight is not a luxury, it is a necessity,” he said.
Kota Madani is being developed on 41ha in Precinct 19, Putrajaya, between Lebuh Wadi Ehsan and Persiaran Selatan.
The township will comprise 10,000 homes for about 30,000 residents, along with community facilities, commercial lots, and green, walkable public spaces.
Phase 1, involving 3,000 units, is for completion by end-2027, with the entire project expected to be completed by 2032.
Positioned as a smart, people-centred hub under the Madani agenda, the plan includes pedestrian-first design, vertical schools, and integrated public amenities such as police and fire stations, healthcare facilities, parks and TVET institutions.