Loke announces Khazanah to restore KL Railway Station and KTMB HQ, hopes to see end of asset sale claims

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 12 — The government’s move to preserve and restore the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) headquarters should permanently quash claims that the national heritage assets are being sold to foreign buyers, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today.

Loke confirmed that the preservation partnership, spearheaded by sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional and the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC), will protect the architectural integrity of both iconic structures while transforming them into vibrant cultural landmarks for tourists and commuters alike.

“With this announcement, I hope to put an end to the allegations and slander claiming that the Transport Ministry intends to sell the KTMB building,” he told a press conference at the Transport Ministry headquarters here.

Loke dismissed persistent social media speculation alleging plans to privatise or offload the KTMB headquarters to a Chinese entity, saying that the century-old building remains entirely government-owned and carries immense historical and sentimental significance for Malaysians.

He explained that the project will mirror Khazanah’s successful urban regeneration and adaptive reuse model demonstrated in the ongoing revitalisation of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

The aim is to ensure these colonial-era transport hubs remain economically viable, functional, and culturally active, rather than falling into disrepair as static historical relics, Loke said.

Opened in 1910, the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station is among the capital’s most photographed architectural landmarks.

Designed by colonial government architect Arthur Benison Hubback, the complex features a distinctive Indo-Saracenic aesthetic that fuses Mughal and Moorish architectural elements with classical Western arches and spires.

The station served as the primary passenger gateway into the federal capital for decades and remains fully operational today, handling daily commuter flows for KTM Komuter and Electric Train Service (ETS) networks.

The transport minister added that the preservation blueprint coincides with broader national rail enhancements, including track renewal works and station upgrades currently underway in Seremban.

In his Budget 2027 presentation on Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, the KTMB headquarters, and Menara Dayabumi have been slated as the next major downtown revitalization targets following the rejuvenation of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, which has attracted half a million local and international visitors to date.