Report: Fake islands, like Malaysia's Forest City, could spell economic trouble


Work in progress: Residential buildings under construction at Forest City in Johor. There seems to be something of a correlation between the construction of artificial islands bejewelled with fancy real estate and an economy that’s about to go off the rails. — Reuters

WHERE is it that we’ve seen glittering archipelagos like Malaysia’s Forest City and Melaka Gateway developments before? Those stretches of newly packed white sand, dotted with palm trees, villas, marinas, high-end retail malls and office towers?

Is it Dubai’s World and Palm Jebel Ali developments? Both sit all but deserted a decade after the 2008 financial crisis crashed their dreams of creating exclusive, private-island enclaves for the likes of Michael Schumacher and David and Victoria Beckham.

Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM5/month

Billed as RM5/month for the 1st 6 months then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Business News

Powering on data centres
Medical insurance premiums on the rise
Blackstone, KKR mortgage REITs stung by office debt challenges
Making scents of success
Tesla’s plan for affordable cars takes page from Detroit rivals
Sapura Energy takes a step to turn the tide
Are there too many GPs and is the healthcare system overwhelmed?
Kelington to reap the benefits of a diversified business strategy
Investors brace for 5% Treasury yields
Singapore’s growth trajectory remains intact

Others Also Read