In the south of Malaysia, a grand vision for the future has turned into a haunting symbol of failure. The ambitious Forest City, once heralded as a futuristic, eco-friendly urban paradise, has been left abandoned and desolate, despite a hefty price tag of $100 billion. What was meant to be a thriving metropolis has now become a ghost town, with only a handful of residents and a slew of empty buildings.
A Bold Dream Gone Awry
Back in 2016, Country Garden, China’s largest real estate developer, unveiled the Forest City project with great fanfare. This vast development was to be a shining example of modern urban living—a city that seamlessly blended sustainability, cutting-edge technology, and a luxurious lifestyle. Designed to house up to a million people, it boasted a golf course, water parks, offices, bars, and restaurants. But for all its promises, the city has fallen drastically short of expectations.
Forest City was built on a man-made island off the coast of Johor in southern Malaysia, with a vision to cater to wealthy Chinese investors and serve as a second home or vacation destination. However, the reality has been far from the dream. The city, which was supposed to house over 700,000 residents, has managed to attract only around 9,000 people, a far cry from its ambitious target.
A Silent, Lonely Place
It didn’t take long for residents to realize that Forest City was not the thriving, vibrant hub they had been promised. One former resident, Nazmi Hanafiah, a civil engineer, left just six months after moving there. He described his time in the city as a disappointing experience. “To be honest, it’s scary. I had high expectations, but it was a very bad experience,” Hanafiah shared. “There’s nothing to do here. It’s lonely—just you and your thoughts.”
A visit to Forest City by an AFP journalist painted an eerie picture. The streets were empty, the shops were deserted, and many of the apartments were left abandoned. The city felt like a ghost town, with only a few construction workers briefly breathing life into the buildings before they disappeared each evening. It was a scene that could easily be plucked from an apocalyptic TV series like The Last of Us.
Why Did Forest City Fail?
The primary reason for Forest City’s failure is the high cost of living and the city’s isolated location. The development was initially marketed to wealthy Chinese buyers who were looking for second homes abroad. However, the reality of the market proved to be different. The prices were simply too steep for many potential buyers, and the city’s location on an island, far from the bustling Johor Bahru (the nearest city), made it even less appealing.
For the local Malaysians, the prospect of moving to Forest City was not enticing. The area lacked essential services and amenities, and with little public transport or accessibility, many found it too impractical to live there. The vision of a bustling, futuristic city didn’t align with the needs of the people it was intended to serve.
Country Garden’s Reluctant Optimism
Despite these issues, Country Garden continues to express optimism about completing the city. The company insists that Forest City is still a work in progress, and that over time, the area will attract more residents. However, with the city now in debt to the tune of $200 billion, many remain skeptical. The grand plans for this once-promising metropolis now seem increasingly unlikely to materialize.
A Cautionary Tale
The story of Forest City serves as a cautionary tale for urban developers around the world. It highlights the risks of overpromising and underestimating the needs of residents. A flashy development with luxurious amenities and futuristic features may sound appealing on paper, but without a solid foundation of accessibility, affordability, and practicality, even the most well-funded projects can turn into expensive ghost towns.
For now, Forest City remains a monument to overambitious planning, serving as a reminder of how even the grandest visions can fail to live up to their potential. The $100 billion investment in this now-desolate city may not be a loss just yet, but it certainly serves as a sobering reminder of the unpredictable nature of large-scale urban developments.
