KL SENTRAL, 8 OCTOBER - A plan is in the works to transform KL Sentral into what MRCB Land describes as the next generation of Malaysian urban centres. Scheduled to be completed by 2011, the plan will involve the development of the KL Sentral Park (also known as Lot E).

Earlier today, Malaysian Resources Corp. Berhad (MRCB) Land was involved in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CISCO and Datacraft Advanced Network Services; its partners in the development of KL Sentral Park.

KL Sentral Park will cost RM720 million to develop and will be located right next to the KL Sentral transit hub. It will also be the first project by MRCB Land to utilize CISCO's Smart & Connected Communities (SCC) framework. The SCC is a business model that will work by creating IT solutions for what MRCB describes as a sustainable, green and smart urban development practice.

One of the SCC's many features involves the ease of tenants moving into the KL Sentral Park lots. These prospective tenants will not have to worry about signing up for their own separate phone services, as these services will be provided by CISCO. Lot E will also feature a multi-service IP platform for easy ICT integration and building automation networks, as well as the availability of free Wi-Fi for all its tenants and patrons.

When asked if other instances of the SCC would be seen in other parts of the country, Mr Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, Managing Director of MRCB Land, replied that he hoped to see more of these services prevalent in government centres and townships in the future. Shahril also mentioned that it would not be unlikely to see the SCC in operation within middle-class residential and commercial location several years from now, although for the time being they would be kept to high-end commercial suites.