KUALA LUMPUR: The Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) may be the new Parliament House as the cabinet has rejected the RM800-million proposal to build a new building.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the cabinet had proposed that PICC be converted into a new Parliament building.

It is also strategically located for the executive and legislative offices in Putrajaya.

"We should be spending on something that will be permanent, not temporary.

"But having a new building is out of the question because of the high costs."

Nazri said PICC was also chosen because it was under-utilised.

About RM100 million was spent for renovation works on Parliament House several years ago.

Nazri also said the cabinet had directed the Public Works Department to come up with a report on the feasibility of Parliament House moving to PICC, including relocation cost.

Last year, the RM600 million PICC only generated RM2 million in revenue.

The government only needed to upgrade its current facilities to make it suitable for a seating.

Nazri said the 48-year-old Parliament House could accommodate only 110 members of parliament (MPs).

"We have 222 members now. If we don't refurbish it, it will rot and crumble.

"The Selayang MP came to me the other day, complaining that water was leaking like a waterfall. I feel for him.

"If we patch up here, the water will leak at another place. We can't keep patching up."

On claims that Britain's Westminster is still being used after hundreds of years, Nazri said: "Westminster is different... they have 600 MPs and they don't sit like us.

"Everyone there does not have a permanent seat and they have to rush in. Our system is one MP, one seat."

Read more: The new Parliament? http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/5dewan/Article#ixzz0r4Z8Iwz8