Sungai Danga, one of the most polluted rivers in Johor will be cleaned-up and revitalised in a RM2.5 billion project to transform it into ‘Venice of the East’.
River City@Danga will be developed by Riverside Terra Sdn Bhd, a fully owned subsidiary of Iskandar Waterfront Sdn Bhd, with the aim of making it a renowned riverine tourism destination.
Nestled on a 21ha site, the project will feature several attractions, including apartments, hotels and office suites equipped with open berthing facilities, retail shops as well as six-km long landscaped pedestrian path on both banks of the river.
Other development planned was the construction of two man made islands with thematic features to reflect the state’s ethnic and cultural diversity, said Lim Chen Herng, group executive director of Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn Bhd.
“This is the first such island in the country where the Malays, Chinese, Indians and others could display their unique cultural heritage, customs, dances, traditions and art works for the sake of tourism,” he said at the project’s launch and ground breaking ceremony by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin on 15 May.
The event was also attended by Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn Bhd executive vice chairman Tan Sri Lim Kang Hoo and state Tourism, Trade and Consumer Affairs Executive Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong.
In his speech, Mohamed Khaled said the project is set to become an important catalyst to the tourism sector within Iskandar Malaysia ‘A’ economic zone.
“Directly or indirectly, it offers significant benefits to the economy of Johor due to the diversity of tourism product components besides enabling local communities to raise their living standard,” he said.
Farah Wahida, Editor of PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact her about this or other stories email farahwahida@propertyguru.com.my
