Why is Kolej Universiti Teknikal Kebangsaan Malaysia (KUTKM) moving to a new location next month when the rental is lower for the current premises?

There is not much difference in space but the rent is five times more, said puzzled DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who wants Melaka Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam to provide an answer for this.

KUTKM's current campus is located at Taman Tasik Utama in Ayer Keroh, Melaka. Its permanent campus is undergoing construction on a 725-acre site at Bukit Senandung I and II in Alor Gajah.

It is expected to be fully constructed by 2010.

While waiting for the permanent campus to take shape, KUTKM is currently renting shop houses to accommodate its students.

A document sent to Lim by a source he declined to identify, stated that KUTKM is currently renting at the price of RM350,000 for 176,907 square feet a month from Metacorp Sdn Bhd.

Rent reduction

It also state that Metacorp had agreed to reduce its rental by RM50,000 if KUTKM continued renting for another two years.

KUTKM is also renting an additional 21 lots at RM33,200 from individuals.

Apart from this, it is also renting from Cubic Electronics Sdn Bhd 128,800 square feet at the price of RM427,960 in Complex Cubic's left wing.

The institution now plans to rent an additional 326,360 square feet in the Cubic building to facilitate its relocation. This will bring the total rent amount to RM1,541,898.

In a letter from Cubic to KUTKM dated May 9 2005, made available to malaysiakini, it quoted an additional RM247,084.20 for renovation work.

'Illogical' move

When contacted KUTKM's corporate and international relations director Assoc Professor Dr Mohd Ridzuan Nordin said he preferred to respond via e-mail.

However, he has yet to reply to an e-mail sent by malaysiakini on Friday.

On Friday, Lim submitted a letter to the Melaka chief minister, urging him to stop the university from moving to the new premises, which is only one kilometer away from the old location.

"In other words KUTKM should pay five times extra rental at Cubic even though the new space is only 2.5 times bigger compared to the old (space).

"They (KUTKM) should explain why they are spending more on rental. They should justify it to the public," he said when contacted.

He described KUTKM's planned move as "illogical, inappropriate and irresponsible".