Putrajaya, the country's administrative capital, is gearing up to become a youth friendly city by the end of the year as espoused by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak during the Youth Day celebration in May.

Allaying assumptions that Putrajaya is meant for elderly people, Putrajaya Corporation president Samsudin Osman said various sports and recreational activities were planned for the city since its inception.

putrajaya pm office 030409 02 He said one of the latest attraction was the Challenge Park in Precint 20 which included a wall climbing complex, skating bowls and a cycling track arrayed by oil palm and rubber trees.

The Putrajaya Water Sports Complex in Precint 6 has become a venue of several international boat races with the water quality equivalent to the 2B level of the Interim National Water Quality Standards (INWQS), he added.

"Youths can capitalise on recreational facilities at the lakes for water polo, kayaking, jet skiing and canoeing. The lakes are also utilised by foreign athletes for training," he said in an interview with Bernama .

Samsudin said the RM3.4 million Taman Pancarona Sport Complex in Precinct 18 offered various sport facilities for the public, including youths such as futsal, basketball, netball, sepak takraw and volleyball courts.

Panel to study proposed concept

He said neighbourhood complexes built in every precinct were each equipped with recreation facilities for different age groups including youths, namely a swimming pool, a multipurpose hall, badminton, squash, tennis and volleyball courts, and a gymnasium.

The 162ha Taman Wetland Putrajaya, which has more than 70 species of wetland plants and 24 species of indigenous fish, is an ideal camping ground for youths who love outdoor adventure, he added.

The sports and recreational facilities are patronised not only by youths from Putrajaya but also from other places, he said, adding that plans were afoot to build youth hostels in the vicinity of the complexes.

Meanwhile, Youth Department director-general Fathul Razi Bakri said more facilities and programmes were being planned jointly by the Youth and Sports Ministry, the Federal Territories Urban Well-being Ministry and Putrajaya Corporation to make Putrajaya a youth friendly city.

He said the Youth and Sports Ministry would form a coordination committee to study the proposed concept, coordinate sports and recreational activities and facilities, get partners and sponsorship, and evaluate the programmes.

- Bernama