Putrajaya will need the participation of private investors to bring forth new ideas in its development to remain dynamic and become a preferred tourist destination in the next 25 years, said Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

“Apart from functioning as an administrative centre, Putrajaya also needs to be injected with a variety of tourism products so that its existence will be more vibrant and lively,” he said, adding that the Cabinet had asked the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to pay attention to promote and develop tourism in Putrajaya.

He said that although there are already tourism products in Putrajaya, developments such as Quranic Village, sports city and public housing can also be utilised to increase tourism products.

“We encourage any investors from the private sector to bring events or hold certain developments that can support the tourism sector for Putrajaya,” he told the media after witnessing the mounted parade in conjunction with the National Month and Putrajaya Silver Jubilee Month celebrations at Dataran Putrajaya, here today .

Developed in an area called Prang Besar in Selangor which was originally an oil palm plantation and forest area, Putrajaya, which is now full of iconic buildings and various ministries, was launched on Aug 29, 1995 and was declared the third Federal Territory on Feb 1, 2001.

Annuar said the population of Putrajaya is expected to increase to 300,000 people from current 120,000, over the next 25 years.

-- BERNAMA