Ghosted Fortunes: Malaysia's 100 Billion Dollar 'Future City,' Forest City, Now Abandoned

Woodland Town, located in Johor at the southern edge of Malaysia, initially marketed as an eco-friendly metropolis, has transformed into a spectral locale.

This area now exudes such an uncanny ambiance that even previous inhabitants hesitate to revisit.

Established in 2016 as a component of China's Belt and Road Initiative—a substantial £78 billion worldwide infrastructure venture—the town was a flagship endeavor by Country Garden, China's premier property developer.

Among the inaugural denizens was an information technology engineer who rented a one-bedroom flat with an ocean vista in a skyscraper. Nonetheless, what appeared to be a propitious relocation swiftly devolved into a nightmarish ordeal, prompting his inclination to depart within a mere six months.

Categorizing the town as a 'phantom settlement,' he conveyed his eagerness to hastily escape from this location, regardless of any financial setbacks. He additionally underscored the disconcerting and barren atmosphere of this place, a significant factor that impelled his departure.

Despite Country Garden's optimism regarding the project's finalization, the actuality sharply contrasts with its ambitious promotional narrative.

Initially designed to accommodate nearly one million individuals, Forest City's advancement has been gradual, with only 15 percent purportedly completed after eight years, while estimates indicate an occupancy rate as minimal as one percent.

The incongruity between the envisioned urban paradise and Forest City's factual state became increasingly conspicuous. Erected on a reclaimed island, secluded from the nearest major urban center, the town faced criticisms for its remoteness, earning descriptors such as 'spooky' and lacking in leisure activities. The reclaimed shoreline, in contrast to the promoted image, now features a cautionary sign about crocodiles, an abandoned children's play area, and discarded vintage automobiles. The once-thriving shopping center, now a mere semblance of its intended grandeur, harbors closed stores and deserted construction zones.

Amidst this desolation, an unoccupied children's locomotive reverberates the eerie emptiness of the shopping precinct. Adjacent to the aging, partially utilized shopping complex, Country Garden's exhibition space showcased an intricate model of the town's envisioned future, accompanied by signage proclaiming Forest City as a locale 'Where Happiness Never Ends,' despite the evident challenges.

Nevertheless, the town's tax-free designation remains an enticing enticement for some, highlighting a paradox within the forlorn panorama—a stark reminder of unmet assurances and unrealized aspirations that enshroud Forest City in an atmosphere of abandonment.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com