Complex sentence: The need for a new palace, according to the then Works Minister Samy Vellu, has been pressing due to space constraints; the Balai Rong Seri of Jalan Istana's Istana Negara where the throne is located had also been used as the dining and meeting rooms.
Split into simpler sentences: The need for a new palace, according to the then-Works Minister Samy Vellu, has been pressing due to space constraints in the old palace. The "Balai Rong Seri" (throne room) of the old palace was also been used as the dining and meeting rooms.