PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) -- Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad moved into a grand new administrative capital Monday, calling it a showpiece of Malaysia's development.
Bounding up a steep flight of stairs to the six-story granite building that loomed over manicured hills, Mahathir shook hands with his staff, then performed a Muslim prayer before entering.Civil servants are expected to shift into Putrajaya, 25 miles south of Kuala Lumpur, in coming months.
Mahathir was clearly proud of the new creation, explaining to reporters how only 10 percent of the building material was imported and the entire project had been designed and constructed by Malaysian companies.