The establishment of Putrajaya was the idea of the then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. First thought of in the 1990s, Putrajaya was envisioned to be “a laboratory for a new form of electronic government" that would emphasize new adoption of, investment in internet, media, and digital communications.[7] The development of Putrajaya began in August 1995 and it was completed at an estimated cost of US$8.1 billion.[8] On February 1, 2001, Putrajaya became Malaysia's third federal territory, after Kuala Lumpur in 1974 and Labuan in 1984.[8] Putrajaya is also a part of MSC Malaysia, a special economic zone that covers Klang Valley.
Prang Besar (Jawi: ڤراڠ بسر, alternately Perang Besar (Malay for "Great War"), was founded in 1921 on land that was jungle, as a rubber plantation by British veterans of World War I, hence the name.[10] Its land area of 800 acres (3.2 km2) expanded to 8,000 acres (32 km2), and it was merged with surrounding estates, including Estet Raja Alang, Estet Galloway and Estet Bukit Prang.
Until 1975, what is today Putrajaya, along with adjacent Cyberjaya, was under the administration of Hulu Langat (Kajang) district.
The vision of a new Federal Government Administrative Centre to replace Kuala Lumpur as the administrative capital emerged in the late 1980s, during the tenure of Malaysia's fourth prime minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad. A new city adjacent to Kuala Lumpur was envisioned, where the government would systematically locate its government offices within an efficient administrative hub; as opposed to the past where government offices were previously scattered across the congested Kuala Lumpur.[8] The new city was proposed to be located between Kuala Lumpur and the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Two areas were proposed: Prang Besar and Janda Baik of Pahang.[11] The new name Putrajaya was chosen for the site.
The federal government negotiated with the state of Selangor on the prospect of another federal territory. In the mid-1990s, the federal government paid a substantial amount of money to Selangor for approximately 11,320 acres (45.8 km2) of land in Prang Besar, Selangor. As a result of this land purchase, Selangor now surrounds two federal territories within its borders: Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
Planned as a garden city and intelligent city, 38% of the area is green spaces in which the natural landscape is enhanced. [12] The plan incorporated a network of open spaces and wide boulevards. Construction began in August 1995; it was Malaysia's biggest project and one of Southeast Asia's largest, with an estimated final cost of US$8.1 billion. The entire project was designed and constructed by Malaysian companies, with only 10% imported materials. [12]
The Asian Financial Crisis of 1997/1998 somewhat slowed the development of Putrajaya. 300 members of the Prime Minister's office staff moved there in 1999, and the remaining government servants moved in 2005. On 1 February 2001, the city was formally transferred to the federal government and declared Malaysia's third federal territory.[13]
In 2002, a rail line called KLIA Transit was opened, linking Putrajaya to KLIA in Sepang. The construction of the Putrajaya Monorail, which was intended to be the city's metro system, was suspended owing to high costs. One of the monorail suspension bridges in Putrajaya remains unused.
In April 2013, the Putrajaya government signed a letter of intent (LOI) with the government of Sejong City in South Korea to mark co-operation between the two cities.[14][15]
The local government in Putrajaya is the responsibility of the Putrajaya Corporation (Perbadanan Putrajaya), a unique local authority. Previously it was administered by the Sepang District Council.
In 2007 the population of Putrajaya was estimated to be over 30,000, which comprised mainly government servants. Government public servants have been encouraged to relocate to the city through various government subsidy and loan programs. The population had increased to 88,300 by 2015.[17]
As of 2020[update], the population of Putrajaya is 97.2% Muslim, 1.1% Hindu, 0.8% Christian, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.4% unknown and 0.1% other religions. The Malaysian constitution strictly defines what makes a "Malay" as an individual who professes Islam, speak Malay regularly, practises Malay customs, and has lived in or has ancestors from Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Infrastructure
Most of the infrastructures in Putrajaya adopt Middle-Eastern architectural designs, which symbolises Malaysian Islamic Identity.[18]
Around 2003, plans for a monorail in Putrajaya were under construction but were halted due to low population. However, plans to revive the construction of the 14Putrajaya Monorail, with proposed connections to Kajang, Bandar Baru Bangi and Cyberjaya, are currently underway.
Putrajaya has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy rainfall year-round and high temperatures throughout the year. Typical cities, towns, and other geographical regions with this climate, Putrajaya does not have a true dry season. The average temperature in Putrajaya is 27.1 °C, which is measured at approximately 80.8 °F. Over the course of a yearly period, the rainfall averages 2307 mm in Putrajaya, which is approximately 90.8 inches.[26]
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